Here at GLAMOUR, we love absolutely any excuse and occasion to celebrate women and their stories. And we've got to admit that the annual WOTY Awards – AKA our Women Of The Year Awards – is a more than perfect way to do this.
2022's London ceremony is just around the corner, and we couldn't be more excited. To prepare for the big event – and, of course, further celebrate the absolute badasses who have graced the WOTY Awards stage previously – we've thrown together the most powerful, political, feminist and just truly incredible personal messages while accepting their awards.
From Victoria Beckham's true proclamation of girl power to Viola Davis's ode to female directors and filmmakers, here are the top eight moments from the WOTY Awards that we will never forget.
Their voting records on abortion, same-sex marriage, and violence against women.
2005: Teri Hatcher, US TV personality of the year and GLAMOUR editor's special award
"I flew in today from California," she told the audience, which included fellow US actress Kim Cattrall. "I'm red-eyed, tired and drunk."
"We are just one and the same person, having the same pressures on any given day."
"I know what it's like to be a woman and dealing with a relationship and trying to make it work and being a mum and paying the bills and trying to be sexy and be normal in whatever it is you do.
"When you need help looking good get a hair stylist, and when you feel like looking s*** just put your hair in a pony tail and some jeans and own it," she added, to cheers from the audience.
2012: Viola Davis won the award for Film Actress Of The Year
She said on accepting her award: "People always say that women can't make films that make money and The Help came out the same year as Bridesmaids... And now it's like, girl power!"
2013: Clare Balding, sports presenter of the year
Balding used her acceptance speech to celebrate the House of Lords backing gay marriage.
She said: "While here at dinner tonight ...the House of Lords voted 2-1 in favour of supporting the equal marriage bill.... Joan Collins, who was sitting on my table, asked me when me and Alice (Arnold) are going to get married. Alice said in three years, which I didn't know, but apparently that's right."
2013: Victoria Beckham, woman of the decade
“I love to celebrate women. Girl power. It's great when women support women. We need more women out there supporting women."
2014: Helen Mirren, GLAMOUR woman of the year
"There are a lot of really young women here who are very beautiful, incredibly talented, and I salute you and respect you all. I'm so proud to be a member of your sex," she said.
"Your 40s are good. Your 50s are great. Your 60s are fab. And 70 is f***ing awesome. I'm not quite there yet, but almost."
2015: Amy Schumer, Trailblazer of the Year
"I'm 160lbs and can catch a dick whenever I want…It will be very exciting when what I am doing isn't trailblazing anymore," she said, “but I'm very happy to have gotten this far.”
2017: Nicole Kidman changing her name
"I wanna tell all the women out there, it is not over at forty – it begins. And it even begins more at fifty".
"But I also wanna say, I am changing my name to Nicole Kid-WOMAN. I've realised, it's been wrong! I cannot be Kid-man. I'm Kid-woman. Thank you!"
2017: Anna Kendrick, writer of the year
"I'm a babe, I'm a destroyer of male worlds – I do alright," she finished. Hear, hear!
