Introducing the Pioneers who are Smashing the Glass Ceilings for the Next Generation

When Yoko Shimada was pumping in her old office’s lactation room, a small, windowless space in the basement of the building, a lightbulb went off. “I was half naked, and I remember thinking.

When you hear the word “pioneer,” who comes to mind? The forefathers of our country? Davy Crockett? Elon Musk? Our history has no shortage of celebrated men who were given the circumstance (and the pomp) to rise to the occasion. While women like Marie Curie, RBG, and Toni Morrison have been able to tip the scale within the latter half of the last century, they’re few and far in between—or are they?

Introducing Womaneer, our new series that highlights and celebrates the oft-overlooked women of our day who are making waves in the fields of politics, STEM, and design. Each of these women have something in common: vision, grit, and a heady dose of persistence that keeps them going despite the odds.

These women are proof that the gender gap is closing… that is, if you fight for it. With some guts, you can become the next pioneering voice in your field—a womaneer. Meet our debut six.