Maria Teresa Horta on the list of the 100 most influential and inspiring women in the world

Writer Maria Teresa Horta is the only Portuguese on the British public channel BBC’s list of the 100 most influential and inspiring women from around the world, alongside names like Sharon Stone and Rebeca Andrade, among others.

Maria Teresa Horta, who distinguished herself, above all, as a poet, is “one of Portugal’s most prominent feminists and author of many award-winning books”, highlights the BBC.

The British channel highlights, in particular, the book “New Portuguese Letters”a work written in co-authorship with and , both now deceased.

In the book, the authors denounce the oppression to which women were subjected during the Estado Novo, referring to the fascist violence, the colonial war, emigration and poverty that dominated the country.

The work was banned and censored by the Salazar regime in the year of its publication, in 1972, and took the plaintiffs to court for alleged offense to public morals, according to the censorship standards of the time.

“The Three Marias” made news around the world

The three authors became known as “Three Marias” during the trial that “made headlines and inspired protests around the world,” writes the BBC.

The international impact of the work occurred shortly after its release in France, through writing desk Simone de Beauvoirand public knowledge of the process in which the “Three Marias” were targeted.

Several international media outlets (including Le Monde, Time, The New York Times, Nouvel Observateur and North American television) followed the trial that led to feminist demonstrations in several Portuguese embassies abroad.

There were also several international personalities, such as Marguerite Duras, Doris Lessing, Iris Murdoch e Delphine Seyrigto publicly defend the work and the authors.

The case involving Maria Teresa Horta, Maria Isabel Barreno and Maria Velho da Costa was considered the first international feminist cause in a vote at the National Organization for Women (NOW) conference in Boston in June 1973.

The case was symbolic in the fall of Salazar’s regime which occurred with the Revolution of April 25, 1974, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, recalls the BBC.

Maria Teresa Horta has been widely awarded throughout her literary career, highlighting, only in recent years, the Authors Award 2017 for the best book of poetry (“Annunciations”).

He also received the Medal of Cultural Merit from the Ministry of Culture in 2020, and was awarded, in 2022, with the degree of Grand Officer of the Order of Liberty.

In 2021, he won the Casino da Póvoa Literary Award with the work “Estranhezas”.

Sharon Stone, Giséle Pelicot and an Italian nun

This year’s “” list includes the names of better-known people, such as the American actress Sharon Stonethe British artist Tracey Emin e the Iraqi Nadia Muradwinner of who was a victim of sexual violence by the Islamic State.

The list also includes the survivor of the rape case in France who became a “symbol of courage and resilience”, highlights the BBC.

Among the 100 most inspiring women is still lutadora indiana vinesh phogatOlympic champion and a critic of sexist attitudes against women in sport.

But the list also includes Italian nun Eugenia Bonetti who has dedicated herself to helping migrant women who are victims of human trafficking and exploitation.

Brazilians Lourdes Barretoprostitutes’ rights activist, gymnast Rebecca Andrade and the biologist Silvana Santos are also on the list, which took into account impartiality and regional representation.

Women “had to try very hard”

The BBC points out that, throughout the year, women “had to try very hard” to find new levels of resilience and faced “deadly conflicts and humanitarian crises” in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine or Sudan.

The BBC 100 Woman team drew up the list based on names collected through research and suggestions from the BBC World Service’s network of 41 language teams, as well as BBC Media Action.