Still the first lady! Michelle Obama is voted the most inspirational female of all time in new poll – with Emma Watson coming in second

Australia
By William

By Jessica Green for Mailonline

Updated:

Michelle Obama has been named the most inspiring woman of all time.

The former US First Lady, 59, who is also an author and attorney, took first place in a recent poll with 34 percent.

Harry Potter actress and women’s rights activist Emma Watson (33) was second, while the now two-time Nobel Prize-winning physicist and chemist Marie Curie was third.

American tennis star Serena Williams scored fourth, while the late British nurse and social reformer Florence Nightingale took fifth with 25 percent, beating Taylor Swift, who had 24 percent.

The LEGO Group surveyed 2,000 parents of girls between the ages of six and 10 to find out which famous women whose actions have been most inspiring.

Michelle Obama (pictured in November 2022) has been named the most inspiring woman of all time

TOP FEMALE ROLE MODELS

  1. Michelle Obama – 34%
  2. Emma Watson – 29%
  3. Marie Curie-29%
  4. Serena Williams-27%
  5. Florence Nightingale – 25%
  6. Taylor Swift-24%
  7. Rosa Parks – 23%
  8. Beyonce – 21%
  9. Mother Teresa – 21%
  10. Dame Judi Dench – 20%
  11. Oprah Winfrey-18%
  12. Jane Austin – 17%
  13. Emilia Earhart – 15%
  14. Paula Radcliffe – 15%
  15. Emmeline Pankhurst – 13%
  16. Coco Chanel – 13%
  17. Maya Angelou – 10%
  18. Jodie Comer – 10%
  19. Malala Yousafzai – 10%
  20. Linda McCartney – 10%
  21. Beth Mead – 10%
  22. Frida Kahlo – 9%
  23. Harriet Tubman – 7%
  24. Firenze Pugh – 7%
  25. Boudica – 6%
  26. Ruth Bader Ginsburg – 5%
  27. Lauren Hemp – 5%
  28. Anna Wintour – 4%
  29. Sylvia Plath – 4%
  30. Gloria Steinem – 3%

Sports stars including England striker Beth Mead (10 percent) and compatriot Lauren Hemp (5 percent) also made the top thirty.

Elsewhere, Rosa Parks was seventh, while Malala Yousafzai and Emmeline Pankhurst were also on the list.

When it comes to what makes an inspiring woman, 54 percent of those surveyed cite resilience as an important quality.

Determination (65 percent), passion (62 percent) and compassion (54 percent) also emerged as important traits.

A whopping 63 percent of parents surveyed said they believed their daughter needed resilience to be successful in the modern world.

The research was commissioned by the LEGO Group, which aims to help young girls reach their full potential.

The toy brand’s “Unstoppable FC” program offers young girls across the country a variety of opportunities to build resilience and confidence.

In addition, those involved will have the opportunity to meet inspiring female footballers such as Beth Mead, Sam Kerr and Rachel Daly, who will attend the workshops.

The findings show that nearly a quarter (23 percent) of parents are concerned that their daughter is being held back from achieving her full potential by fear of failure.

Still, 89 percent say their daughter is more ambitious than they were at the same age.

Meanwhile, a whopping 96 percent believe their daughter has the potential to break down barriers they couldn’t overcome.

Psychologist Dr Josephine Perry said: ‘Teaching girls to treat failure as a learning experience and to recover from setbacks is critical to helping them tackle life’s challenges.’

Harry Potter actress and women's rights activist Emma Watson, 33, is second

American tennis star Serena Williams scored fourth

Harry Potter actress and women’s rights activist Emma Watson (pictured left), 33, takes second place, while American tennis star Serena Williams (pictured right) scores fourth

Isabel Graham, Head of Marketing at The LEGO Group, said: ‘We are pleased to be able to offer a number of different workshops to help young girls build their resilience through our ‘Unstoppable FC’ programme.

“At The LEGO Group, we are committed to breaking down barriers to play, and our research shows that learning to recover from setbacks is key to helping children reach their potential.”

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