When women’s studies was created as a curriculum in universities across the U.S. in the late 1960s and early 1970s, “leadership”—the art and science of motivating and managing people and organizations—was not considered a relevant topic. Why? Because women were mostly absent in leadership positions—from politics to business, from media to science, from higher education to nonprofit organizations.

Now, 40 years later, women have led the U.S. Department of State, the House of Representatives and major universities. Women serve on the Supreme Court, anchor the evening news and run businesses as never before. Yet only a handful of the more than 650 women’s studies programs at colleges and universities in the U.S. provide practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for the next generation to make a significant impact on their communities and world.

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Being a feminist and discussions around this topic is one of the most exciting subject in women forums on the net. It seems almost energizing that the definition of feminism would vary from one person to another. Some people think about feminism as an opposite to femininity, other – about equal rights for women.

What did it mean to the famous women in our history? Where did they gain their inspiration for being ahead of their time and just being different? Think of Hypatia of Alexandria (379-415) who was a mathematician and astronomer. Think of the famous women artists of Renaissance, the period when women were generally considered not suitable for working in fine arts. The story of Sofonisba Anguissola (1535-1625), Italian artist, is one of the most romantic biographies of famous women artists. She had received the best possible education in fine arts her father could assure. Yet, she had never had a chance to study anatomy and draw nude models, which was considered then unacceptable for a female. Instead, she searched for possibilities of a new style in portraiture with subjects set in an informal way.

Sofonisba was trained by Michelangelo, who thought very highly of her. She joined the Spanish Court of the King Philip II in 1558, which became an important turn in her career. Getting married at the age of thirty-nine was another event unusual for a woman of her time. Unfortunately for Sofonisba, her husband died 8 years later. At the age of forty-seven, Sofonisba met a much younger captain of the ship, Orazio Lomellino. Beloved and supported by her husband in her artwork, the great woman lived happily until her death at the age of 93.