The BBC has revealed its hotlist of 100 “inspiring and influential” women from around the world for 2022, but it is the omissions that have sparked more debate than even the inclusions.
Is this an annual tradition?
It is the 10th year of the 100 Women list and with the decade marker, the BBC said it was "taking the opportunity to explore what progress has been made over the last decade”, pointing out that “while there have been huge steps forward for women's rights - from the number of female leaders to the MeToo movement - for women in many corners of the world it still feels like there is a long way to go”.
How is it compiled?
The BBC's 100 Women team compile a shortlist based on names put forward by the BBC's network of World Service Languages teams, focusing on candidates “who had made headlines or influenced important stories over the past 12 months”, along with inspiration figures or women who “have achieved something significant or influenced their societies” and said the list was then measured for “regional representation” before being finalised.
So who makes the cut?
Featured in the 100 are Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, for her work to highlight the suffering of the Ukrainian people and deliver mental health support for children and families traumatised by the war. US actress Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and has campaigned to raise awareness of the condition since, is included, as is Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, who, while competing at the Asian Championships in South Korea in October, did so without a headscarf, in a nod to ongoing protests against the hijab in her homeland.
Anyone else?
Plenty of names to highlight, from US singer Billie Eilish to German heart specialist Dilek Gürsoy, with the BBC asking social media users to join the conversation online with the hashtag “#BBC100Women” to offer opinion on the choices.
And opinions include?
The inclusion of trans activist Efrat Tilma, the "first transgender volunteer in the Israeli police" and Erika Hilton, the "first black trans woman ever elected to a seat in the National Congress of Brazil” sparked debate. Twitter user Helen Saxby wrote: “The BBC thinks a whopping 2% of the most inspiring and influential women this year are ‘trans women’. When trans ppl (of either sex) are estimated to be just 0.3% of the population this is a ringing endorsement of the claim that men make better women than women do.”
Strong reactions?
On the list’s Facebook page, user Jessica Brown said: “You are simply insulting and gas lighting women” However, one tweeter said “thank you for recognising that trans women are women”.
And who was felt to have been omitted?
The Queen was felt by many to be a glaring omission. One tweeter said: “There’s no place for the late Queen Elizabeth..” Another said: “The BBC in their 100 strong list of influential women miss JK Rowling.”
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