2009 Women of the Year!

2009 wasn't just a male-dominated year; the women made big strides, too. Whether in foreign relations, film, pop music or other-wise, here are the ones who had everyone buzzing through-out the year.

10. Kate Winslet

 

Whatever your thoughts about her The Reader, or her performance for which she finally won her first Oscar,  the point is after 6 nominations, she finally won. We suspect the Academy felt it was a long time comin', and rightfully so.

9. Herta Müller

 

It hardly matters that you have never read a thing from Müller; she's become the 12th woman to have won the Literature Nobel Prize in over 100 years.

8. Mo'Nique

 

She's a good comedienne, and for I suppose there's a reason she attracts large viewership on BET, but the world never knew that Mo'Nique could act. Like really act! Thanks to Lee Daniels' Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" By Sapphire, everyone got to see it for themselves. Having already won about 15 industry awards, expect Mo-Mo to land her Oscar nomination come Tuesday and the award come March.

7. Zoe Saldana

 

Life must be great for the incredibly beautiful Saldana, who not only starred in one of the highest-grossing (and best) films of they year, Star Trek, but one of the highest-grossing films of all-time, Avatar. Yes, that was her as Neytiri, the Na'vi princess. Amazing? I thought so too.

6. Susan Boyle

 

Say what you will about Boyle's neck, Susan Boyle was pop music's break-out star of '09. With her performance of "I Dreamed A Dream" on Britain's Got Talent watched over 100 million times on youtube, Boyle released her debut album in November, and within two months, it was confirmed as the fastest selling UK debut album of all time the album and has already sold 8 million copies the world over.

5. Rihanna

The world could have easily crumbled for Rihanna, what with how tragically it started. But you know what? It didn't. Homegirl bounced back more aggressively than ever- more hit singles, her fastest-selling album of her career, some gorgeous high-fashion magazine covers and editorials, two Grammy nominations, and what seems like a new beau.

4. Michelle Obama

 

Grace, charm, poise, beauty- all characteristics of one of the most eloquent First Ladies in history. Her detractors have opined that she seems to focus more on style over substance, but they're all just fuddy-duddies anyway. Michelle, in my eyes, is the pre-eminent mother and wife of 2009- strong, supportive, regal and affimative.

 3. Beyoncé

 

She covered Vogue, sold another 6 million albums, grossed over US$140 million in tours and the box office, received ten Grammy nominations (more than any other artiste)- and that's just the beginning for Miss Sasha Fierce. Two snaps!

2. Kathryn Bigelow

Watching The Hurt Locker, you would never guess that it was directed by a woman. I really don't mean that in any sexist, chauvinistic way either- it's one of the best movies about the on-going war in Iraq, possibly the finest war film since Saving Private Ryan ten years ago; women usually stay away from films of this nature. Despite the public shying away from the film, the reviews were excellent, and she's already won numerous awards, Kudos to Bigelow then, who, if she wins the Best Director Oscar, which she should, would become the first woman ever to do so.

1. Lady GaGa

 

It's hard, borderline impossible, to become a pop culture icon in one year, but following in the foot-steps of Madonna before her, GaGa did it.  Her followers and fans are legion, she has the couture fashion world eating our of her palms, a string of #1 hits, Grammy awards to look forward to tomorrow, videos that will make your eyes pop and mouths drop, one of the best-selling albums of 2009, fashion the world has never seen before and we suspect this is just the tip of the ice-berg.