7. Hillary Clinton and feminist foreign policy — Hillary Clinton is definitely not the first female United States secretary of state (Madeleine Albright holds that honor), but she may be the first who pursues an aggressively feminist foreign policy. According to Clinton, women's rights are "the signature issue" of the administration's foreign policy, and she has worked tirelessly to protect and support women through diplomacy. Through specific women-focused projects (like "Clean Cookstoves," which strives to prevent millions of deaths from smoke inhalation every year) and the setting up of organizations (UN Women), Clinton acts as a guardian for female health and empowerment, worldwide (The Guardian).

Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Department of State