Friday 16 May 2014

Maria Gaetana Agnesi

Hi All,

Maria Gaetana Agnesi.jpg
Today is this person's birthday, having been born on 16th May 1718 (died 9th January 1799), follow the link here if  U would like to know the full story.

This woman contributed greatly to the fields of mathematics, becoming (via the Pope) a Professor.  She spent the last years of her life studying theology and donated much of her wealth to the poor and charity. So an inspiration to all of us really. Long before the suffragettes or the culture wars, here we have a woman being able to do what she did well in life and not being prevented from doing it, because 'the woman's home is in the kitchen'.

There are lessons and inspiration for us all.; rather than raving about whether or not the Bible was literal or being told she couldn't do something because of who she was she just went and did it, look her faith
seriously without obscurantist fundamentalist.

Real life. Real people. Real faith.

 If only we could tilt that balance back here in 2014.

13 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this, Hannah.


    You know I feel bad that I'd never heard of her, but I feel as a woman I should have done. To be a professor and appointed by the Pope in the 1750s. She must have been quite brilliant to do that at the time, given the culture at the time.

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  2. Esther,


    I feel the same way as a bloke. Amazing woman to get so far and to live with so much grace toward the end; not every person who achieves or has achieved fame/fortune is like that.

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  3. Hannah


    Thanks for this post. I learn, I learn!

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  4. Well I try to bring these things to people's attention, which kinda knocks out the idea that women being allowed to be educated etc is a new idea of the 'culture wars' or a project of the suffragettes. But mathematicians and astrophysicists aren't exactly seen as hot and sexy.

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  5. I know one astrophysicist who is hot and sexy!

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  6. I agree with the concept of feminism but many(not all) feminists I see today are widening the gender gap.I wish there really was equality,I got bullied for a whole year because a friend of mine had an issue and I just tried to comfort him and everyone went :LOLLLZZZZ GAY HOMO FAGGS!

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  7. Bible and Truth16 May 2014 at 15:19

    A lot of women like to be homemakers! Don't assume your liberal crap works for everyone Hannah!

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  8. Homophobic bigotry has nothing to do with feminism.

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  9. Never said otherwise. Have U heard of the phrase "Halcyon Days"?

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  10. Bible and Truth16 May 2014 at 23:15

    This makes you out to be such a feminist idiot, I have no idea where to start with it. Shame!

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  11. "I have no idea where to start with it"


    Don't then...

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  12. Dominique Vasilkovsky18 May 2014 at 09:52

    GIRL POWER!

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