20 Inspirational Female Icons You Should Follow in 2023

Redefining the boundaries and overcoming many hurdles to become pioneers in their respective fields, meet this cohort of remarkable women! Utilising their raw talent, extraordinary perseverance and exemplarily resilience, they have accomplished phenomenal feats.

We have carefully selected 20 of the most inspirational females you can find on social media, each with unique expertise to share. Interact with these phenomenal women by following them on social media in 2023 through our post to find out more.

Ann Daniels

Ann Daniels is a world record holder, award-winning adventurer and one of Britain’s leading female polar explorers. She is an exceptional leader who has led many expeditions in some of the most extreme conditions, using teamwork and a positive mental attitude. Ann rose to prominence in 2002 when she completed a most extraordinary feat as part of an all-women team, reaching both the North and South Poles.

As such, she is an expert on performing under pressure, incredibly resilient and has remarkable endurance. Ann reflects on her accomplishment on social media to inspire and motivate her followers. Furthermore, she is an advocate for sustainability and encourages her followers to be more conscious of their lifestyles.

Instagram – @anndanielsgb

Twitter – @AnnDanielsGB

LinkedIn – @Ann Daniels

Mandy Hickson

Mandy Hickson is a former RAF Fast-Jet Pilot, and the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4, who has faced many challenges before achieving her dream of flying on the front line. With over 30 years of experience, Mandy has completed 45 missions over Iraq and three tours of duty. Famous for her sense of humour, she is a highly inspirational woman who rose to the top of a male-dominated environment.

Mandy is a remarkable individual who has displayed excellence in leadership, decision making, and stress management. She continues to motivate aspiring pilots through her work as an aviation ambassador sharing inspirational moments on her social media, especially aimed at female empowerment.

Instagram – @mandyhicksonspeaker

Twitter – @MandyHickson

LinkedIn – @Mandy Hickson

Anna Turney

Anna Turney is a British Paralympic ski racer who represented Britain in the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics and the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games. In 2006, Anna suffered a serious accident while snowboarding, breaking her back in the process.

In an extraordinary feat of resilience, she conquered her fears and underwent a demanding training regimen, enabling her to continue to compete in the sport she loves and

As an executive performance coach and athlete mentor, Anna is a major supporter of young athletes. She also utilises her social media platforms to highlight the successes and challenges faced by disabled athletes. Furthermore, Anna is a passionate climate activist and frequently reminds her audience of the imminent threat posed by climate change.

Instagram – @skiraceanna

Twitter – @SkiRaceAnna

LinkedIn – @Anna Turney

Michelle Visage

Michelle Visage is a well-known American media personality who rose to prominence as a member of the band Seduction. She is a highly talented Radio DJ, singer and TV personality who is currently a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Awarded the Primetime Emmy Award in 2019, Michelle has considerable experience working in show business and has made appearances on Celebrity Big Brother, Strictly Come Dancing and Grease.

Michelle utilises her social media platform to share her interests, usually commenting on fashion related topics, the drag community and sharing photos of herself in many diverse and trendy styles.

Instagram – @michellevisage

Twitter – @michellevisage

LinkedIn -Michelle Visage

Paris Lees

Paris Lees is an award-winning journalist and author who was the first transgender columnist to write for Vogue. One of the leading journalists in the UK, Paris is a major contributor to the transgender public discourse. Having had a challenging upbringing, Paris is a deeply passionate advocate for trans rights and has voiced her concerns on her social media and in leading publications, such as The Guardian, and The Times.

In addition to appearing on Channel 4, BBC Radio 1, and Question Time, she is also the author of What It Feels Like for a Girl, which is inspired by her experience growing up.

Instagram – @paris.lees

Twitter – @parislees

Kelly Holmes

Kelly Holmes is an Olympic who is famous for winning Gold in both the 800M and 1500M at the Athens Olympics in 2004. An honorary Colonel for the British Army, Kelly has successfully achieved both of her dreams, joining the army and winning Gold at the Olympic Games. A truly remarkable display of hard work and discipline, Kelly’s achievements are an example of what astounding perseverance and commitment can achieve.

Exceedingly inspirational, she continues to motivate young athletes through the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and promotes health and wellness on her social media platforms.

Instagram –  @damekellyholmes

Twitter – @damekellyholmes

LinkedIn – Dame Kelly Holmes

Charlotte Edwards

Charlotte Edwards is a leading figure in professional female cricket. She was the former captain of the England women’s team, a position she held for 10 years. Charlotte has had a record-breaking career, as a distinguished cricket player from the age of 16. Leading England to many remarkable victories, Charlotte’s exemplary leadership, teamwork, and ability to perform under pressure saw England win an array of prestigious trophies and events.

Still very much active in cricket as Head Coach for Southern Brave and Assistant Coach of Adelaide Strikers, Charlotte uses her social media to provide frequent updates about events taking place in women’s cricket, in addition to supporting various charities.

Instagram –  @c_edwards23

Twitter – @C_Edwards23

Ebony Rainford-Brent

Ebony Rainford-Brent is a former professional cricketer and the first Black woman to play cricket for England. A member of the 2009 World Cup-winning squad, Ebony has shown great leadership in her role as captain of the Surrey team. Since retiring from cricket, she has experienced major success in her TV and broadcasting career, becoming one of the first female pundits on BBC’s Test Match and a regular on Sky Sport.

In recognition of her broadcasting talent, Ebony won prestigious awards including a BAFTA and the Sports Journalist Award. Her passion for cricket has extended to supporting grass-root charities that focus on improving representation in cricket, in addition to frequently highlighting such topics on her social media.

Instagram –  @ebonyjewelrainfordbrent

Twitter – @ejrainfordbrent

LinkedIn – Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent MBE

Martine Wright

Martine Wright is a British Paralympic sitting volleyball player who lost her legs in the London 7/7 bombing attack. Undeterred by her tragic experience, Martine was determined to live her life to the fullest. Pushing her boundaries, she has gone on to accomplish an array of truly impressive feats, gaining her pilot’s license, skydiving, and becoming the captain of the Paralympic volleyball team.

All this was possible through her awe-inspiring positive mindset, resilience, and phenomenal perseverance. Sharing this inspirational mindset on social media, Martine is also an advocate for mental health, women’s rights, and disability awareness.

Twitter – @martine_wright

LinkedIn – Martine Wright MBE

Anita Asante

Anita Asante is a former professional football player who played for prominent clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Aston Villa in the FA Women’s Super League. An exceptional defender she was selected to play at the 2012 London Olympics, adding a major accomplishment to her already impressive resume. An outspoken individual, Anita has repeatedly utilised her social media platforms to speak about issues affecting minorities, in addition to pushing for more representation in a male-dominated sport.

Since retiring, exceptionally talented Anita has pursued a career as a sports presenter for Sky Sports and BBC. Moreover, she has a PhD in the Governorship of Women’s Football.

Instagram – @neetz2

Twitter – @NicenNeetz

LinkedIn – Anita Asante

Justine Roberts

Justine Roberts is the Founder and chief executive of the incredibly popular websites Mumsnet and Gransnet. Extremely influential, Justine has been Listed in The Top 500 Most Influential CEOs in the World. With a remarkable 14 million monthly visitors to her website, it is not difficult to see how Justine has built a reputation as an outstanding entrepreneur, having grown her website from her bedroom in 2000 to 128 million page views.

Justine’s success is attributed to her vision, unwavering resilience, and unfathomable perseverance. On her social media platform, Justine frequently posts on women’s rights issues, most recently putting questions asked by users of Mumsnet to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak.

Instagram –  @justineroberts

Twitter – @Justine_Roberts

LinkedIn – Justine Roberts CBE

Hope Powell

Hope Powell is a former professional footballer and manager of the women’s team. Passionate about football from an early age, she was kicked off her school football team for being a girl. Undeterred, Hope overcame a range of different challenges to become one of the leading women in football. Her struggles substantially aided in the advancement of women’s football, by helping it become a more widely accepted female sport.

Throughout her career, Hope’s dedication and resilience enabled her to gain major triumphs. She became England’s first and youngest, female Black coach. In addition, she was the first to receive a UEFA Pro License.

LinkedIn – Hope Powell

Katie Piper

Katie Piper is an award-winning author and famous presenter who overcame a horrific acid attack to become a leading voice for burn survivors. Turning her tragedy into an inspirational story of resilience and perseverance, Katie is an outspoken activist promoting the idea of body positivity and addressing the concept of beauty ideals on her social media. Through her foundation, Katie offers to burn survivors the ability to rehabilitate in a state-of-the-art facility inspired by her journey to recovery.

Incredibly courageous, she appeared in the thought-provoking Channel 4 documentary, Katie: My Beautiful Face, where she raised awareness about her attack and the consequent implications it had on her life.

Instagram –  @katiepiper

Twitter – @KatiePiper_

LinkedIn – The Katie Piper Foundation

Ife Thomas

Ife Thomas is an author and motivation expert, who left a highly successful career in the entertainment industry following a serious knee injury. Ife rose to prominence as a dancer on the X-Factor and as a singer and has appeared alongside famous artists including Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Leona Lewis. Briefly making appearances on reality shows such as Big Brother, Ife later made a career u-turn into corporate finance.

During her transformation, she developed an appetite for business, growing a successful accounting business out of her living room, into an office with several employees. Ife attributes her success to her positive mindset, confidence, and perseverance. On her social media, she promotes positivity, confidence, and high self-esteem.

Instagram – @ifethomas

Twitter – @ifethomas1

LinkedIn – Ife Thomas

Charlotte Webster

Charlotte webster is a TV and Radio Broadcaster with a wealth of experience in both live sporting events and factual entertainment. Charlotte made history as the first woman to cover football in Asia. Further pushing the boundaries, she became the first female worldwide to anchor a World Title boxing match.

Moreover, Charlotte is an advocate for an array of highly sensitive topics including mental health, global health, and abuse, and frequently writes about them on her social media. From overcoming her childhood trauma to becoming a very successful broadcaster, Charlotte displays unrivalled perseverance and mental strength.

Instagram – @charlotteewebster

Twitter – @CharlieCW

LinkedIn – Charlie Webster

Ellie Simmonds

Ellie Simmonds is a Paralympic record-breaking swimmer, who made history when she won two Gold medals in 2008 aged 13. Displaying extraordinary endurance, Ellie’s perseverance, and ability to perform under pressure led to four Olympic Gold medals in her possession before turning 20. As an inspiring young athlete, Ellie is a role model for many aspiring disabled athletes.

In addition, she is a prominent patron of the Dwarf Sports Association and plays an active role in supporting several charities relating to clean water, sports, and young people, using her platform on social media to promote them.

Instagram –  @elliesimmonds

Twitter @EllieSimmonds1

LinkedIn – Ellie Simmonds

Stephanie Hill

Stephanie Hill is a singer, equestrian, ballroom dancer and winner of Miss England 2017. With over 10,000 applicants, Stephanie was selected alongside 50 other contestants, where she competed with them in a series of gruelling challenges. Winning this notoriously difficult title, she raised thousands of pounds for charity and became a global ambassador for disadvantaged children.

However, these exceptional accomplishments would have failed to materialise without her perseverance. Stephanie attempted to enter the competition four times before she was selected. Furthermore, she did not allow her demanding lifestyle and studies to hold her back. Stephanie is a very inspirational young woman who displays an incredible ability to perform under pressure and has an amazing Instagram profile for fashion-focused users.

Instagram –  @stephaniejaynehill

Jo Salter

Jo Salter is the first female to fly a fast jet for the Royal Air Force. Initially, Jo was interested in becoming an engineering officer, however, a new decision to allow women to fly fast jets inspired Jo to change course and become a seasoned pilot. Proving herself an exceptionally talented pilot, Jo battled her way in a male-dominated world to become a Flight Lieutenant of the 617 Squadron.

Jo can be seen promoting healthy workplace cultures, empowering women, and sharing advice for aspiring pilots on her social media.

Instagram – @josalter617

Twitter – @jo_salter

LinkedIn – Jo Salter MBE

Katie Neeves

Katie Neeves is an inspirational transwoman who overcame many barriers in her pursuit of acceptance and happiness. Taking the steps to transition was fraught with many challenges, moreover, Katie feared discrimination and loss of livelihood.

Deciding to transition at 48, Katie became a leading voice in the trans-acceptance movement and dedicates a large portion of her social media to promote those rights.

Instagram – @cool2btrans

Twitter – @cool2btrans

LinkedIn – Katie Neeves FRSA, Trans Ambassador

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