WATCH: 5 women who changed your life with their inventions

For Women's History Month, we dedicate this Salon 5 to these women whose innovations made their marks

By D. Watkins

Editor at Large

Published March 8, 2017 10:00AM (EST)

It’s no secret that our society is dominated by misogyny and hyper masculinity: You see it on television, in the sports world, in the workplace, and yes, in every part of our government, all the way up to President Trump and the disgusting language he used to describe grabbing and groping women.

That aggressive culture cripples our society in many ways, especially with how it rewards men like Trump who constantly disrespect women. Schools don’t do a good enough job introducing students to the many contributions that women have made to society — every field, from science and technology to business and athletics, has a collection of talented women leading the way.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a quiz: Who created the car heater, the fire escape, the windshield wiper, Kevlar, Monopoly, liquid paper, alphabet blocks, disposable diapers, the retractable dog leash, the folding cabinet bed and beer?

The answer is women.

So every time your car heater keeps you from freezing to death, your windshield wipers help you get home safely during a storm or you sip that frosty beer at the end of a long work day, remember that women are just as capable as — if not more capable than — men.

Today we are dedicating the Salon 5 to these amazing women, and wishing all of our readers and viewers a Happy Women’s History month.


By D. Watkins

D. Watkins is an Editor at Large for Salon. He is also a writer on the HBO limited series "We Own This City" and a professor at the University of Baltimore. Watkins is the author of the award-winning, New York Times best-selling memoirs “The Beast Side: Living  (and Dying) While Black in America”, "The Cook Up: A Crack Rock Memoir," "Where Tomorrows Aren't Promised: A Memoir of Survival and Hope" as well as "We Speak For Ourselves: How Woke Culture Prohibits Progress." His new books, "Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments," and "The Wire: A Complete Visual History" are out now.

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Feminism Gender Original Video Women's History Women's History Month