From the self-made founders shattering gender stereotypes to the pioneers whose work is paving the way for the next generation of leaders, these are the standout ForbesWomen stories of 2022.

by Maggie McGrath

For ForbesWomen

Photo:   SAFIN HAMED/AFP/GETTY IMAGES


The central story of 2022 was, ultimately, the story of what it means to identify as female in a complicated, exhilarating, infuriating world. It was a story of victories gained, like when the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team received a $24 million settlement in their equal pay lawsuit, or when Brittney Griner finally landed on U.S. soil after 10 months in Russian captivity. It was a story of rights lost—when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and triggered state-specific abortion bans to go into effect almost immediately. And it was a story of defiant protest, from the women who embraced the power of their vote in the U.S. midterm elections to the Iranian women who have been courageously protesting against a regime that treats them as second-class citizens.

The experience of women featured so prominently this year that Dictionary.com even crowned the word “woman” its word of 2022.

And so, in a year defined by women, here are some of the ForbesWomen stories that most inspired us, captivated us us, and made us think.

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