‘TIME’ Has Named Its 12 ‘Women of the Year’ for 2023

Cate Blanchett is one of 12 women making the 'TIME' list this year.
Cate Blanchett is one of 12 women making the 'TIME' list this year. | TIME

In 2022, TIME magazine debuted its 12 Women of the Year list, which acknowledges pivotal figures in politics, culture, and activism. Today, the publication announced its 2023 line-up, and many of the names will be familiar to moviegoers, sports fans, and those championing societal change.

The 12 recipients include:

Cate Blanchett, up for an Academy Award for her performance in 2022’s psychodrama TÁR and a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ambassador.

Angela Bassett, also up for an Oscar for 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the first actor to ever be nominated for a Marvel Studios film.

Phoebe Bridgers, a singer and pro-choice advocate who was spoken openly about undergoing an abortion.

Ayisha Siddiqa, a 24-year-old poet and Pakistani climate justice and human rights activist. In 2019, Siddiqa organized protestors in Manhattan to advocate for environmental responsibility.

Megan Rapinoe, a soccer star who has long advocated for equal pay among players regardless of gender.

Quinta Brunson, the creator and co-star of the hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary, a vehicle for Black voices in culture as well as a window into the role of schools in helping to inspire and educate.

Makiko Ono, the incoming Suntory Beverages CEO and one of the few women heading a large Japanese company. Ono will look to meet the company’s goal of having women make up 30 percent of its managers by 2030.

Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist whose outspoken support of oppression in Iran has led to kidnap and assassination plots against her.

Verónica Cruz Sánchez, an abortion rights activist whose Las Libres organization has assisted women in getting medical treatment.

Olena Shevchenko, a Ukrainian LGBTQ+ rights activist.

Anielle Franco, Brazil’s new Minister of Racial Equality.

Ramla Ali, a pro boxer and Somalian refugee whose nonprofit Sisters Club provides training and support to Muslim women as well as anyone else looking for a safe space to train.

TIME has long been associated with its Man of the Year nomination, which was changed to Person of the Year in 1999. In 1936, Wallis Warfield Simpson became the first woman to deviate from the standard after her romance with the future King Edward VIII made international headlines. In 2020, the outlet launched a list of 100 Women of the Year comprised of contemporary and historical figures—seemingly in part to make up for lost time.