Let's hear it for the girls: The best girl power moments of 2016

Marie-Claire Dorking

·Contributor

20 December 2016 at 9:33 am

Lady Gaga urges women to speak up about sexual assault

Ashley Graham becomes the first ‘plus-size’ model to front Sports Illustrated

Indonesian designer Anniesa Hasibuan made history by showcasing first all-hijab catwalk at NYFW

Jennifer Aniston calls out the baby-bump rumour mill

Taylor Swift stuck it to her haters (well, hater)

Katy Perry helped women reclaim the word ‘nasty’

Beyonce changed the music game (again!)

Just when we thought we couldn't love her anymore, Queen Bey went and dropped Lemonade. Described by some as a love letter to black women, the stunning visual album explores some of the complex struggles many black women face all within twelve badass songs. Touching on issues including police brutality and racial tensions, the seemingly autobiographical album also got social media in a spin thanks to it's 'I’m-not-gonna-take-your-cheating' lyrics which sent the rumour mill into overdrive about husband Jay Z's alleged infidelity. But whether or not the music was about her own personal experiences, there's no doubting the album itself was boundary-breaking. Hardly surprising therefore that it went on to receive four Emmy nominations, nine Grammy nominations and a “Best Album of the Year” award from Rolling Stone. [Photo: Getty]

"Who runs the world? Girls!" Beyoncé famously hollered. But while it's not strictly true that the world is entirely ruled by women (wouldn't it be nice though?), it's fair to say the female of the species has delivered some pretty awesome empowerment moments in 2016.

From Hillary Clinton’s history-making presidential run to Team GB kicking butt at the Olympics, celebrities throwing light on important women's issues to Taylor Swift sticking it to the haters, 2016 has to been a pretty killer year for girl power.

So what better way welcome in the New Year than celebrating the fiercest female moments of the old one? Here are the ten girl power moments that broke social media and helped make 2016 rock.

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Let's hear it for the girls: The best girl power moments of 2016

Beyonce changed the music game (again!)

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Prince William and Princess Kate interrupt Christmas break to make major announcement

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Plane takes off WITHOUT PILOT as they watch from runway as it heads out to sea

Prince William and Kate Middleton's photographer breaks his silence after royals suddenly delete Christmas card

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