Throughout history, women have been gifting humanity with innovations and support that have helped us advance at a lightspeed pace. Unfortunately for many, their inventions and ideas have been stolen. Despite making leaps and bounds to end sexism, many women’s hard work has been attributed to men, especially their husbands. Even though the damage has already been done, we should still shine a light on these women’s accomplishments when we can, because even a dim light could help reveal the truth in pitch-black darkness.
Hedy Lamarr
Austrian-born actress and model Hedy Lamarr was more than just an icon and a diva—she was an inventor who paved the way for modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Her brain was just as potent as her beauty; from warplane wings to carbonated drinks, Lamarr’s inventions help define our lives on a daily basis. Despite being a Grade-A innovator, Lamarr did not receive any recognition, money, or thanks for her efforts. In fact, her work was stolen by the American Navy and credited to her work partner, George Antheil. Lamarr and Antheil produced a communication system that helped guide torpedoes during WWII, but the patent’s rejection led her to return to her roots as a celebrity, where she continued to sell war bonds until the end of the war. Her endeavors were finally realized after her death when she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014, and even though her acting career still overshadows her achievements today, her spirit lives on in the thing that connects us the most—the Internet.
Mary Anderson
Mary Anderson’s invention of the modern windshield wiper was ahead of its time. If you take a look outside today, every automobile comes with automatic windshield wipers, helping drivers have a clear view of the road in rain or shine. But in 1902, when Anderson filed for a patent, manufacturers argued that they were worth “no commercial value,” which eventually led to her idea being forgotten. Fortunately, a whole 20 years later, Cadillac adopted them as standard equipment, but credit to Anderson was nowhere to be found. Years and years later, even after her death in 1953, automobile companies made money off Anderson’s idea. Despite her being inaugurated into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2011, her name isn’t mentioned anywhere in today’s car patents. Regardless of how her idea was stolen, it still helps us keep a bright eye on the road, preventing deaths and injuries everywhere we go.
As you can see, it’s an easy game playing “I Spy A Diva’s Invention” once you realize that many of the things we use on a day-to-day basis were created by women; history and society have just not been able to pay them the respect they deserve.
These two heroines’ endeavors were overshadowed by men who achieved the biggest success according to their time: being born a man. Taking time to undo the tedious wrongdoings done to these women will be tiresome and perhaps impossible, but even a small step in the right direction can lead you to your end goal if you keep running with the girls who run the world.
