The Most Powerful Women in the World

Forbes just released its annual list of the world's most powerful women. At the top is Michelle Obama, but there are some surprises too... like Lady Gaga at #7, beating out people like Sarah Palin and Nancy Pelosi. Fishbowl NY points out the 18 media and publishing women who made the list, saying, it's "clear that the women controlling the industry have no shortage of creativity, wealth, and executive power." Salon's Broadsheet doesn't love the list, wondering why Forbes included "the marital status of and number of children produced by each of its world-shaking women[.] One might understand that in highlighting the achievements of television host and gay rights advocate Ellen DeGeneres, marriage, and the right to be married, are a huge part of what she stands for. But Danica Patrick? Not so much."
Styleite says that female fashion designers are missing: “[I]n our minds there is no man, woman or political party that could create anything more influential than Diane von Furstenberg’s wrap dress. There are very few people who have as great an impact on what we wear as Miuccia Prada. And how, after decades of telling everyone from Jackie Kennedy to Jessica Simpson what to wear, is Carolina Herrera not on the list?” At WalletPop, Forbes editor Meghan Casserly explains how the selection process worked, concluding, “What we've found is that power, hard or dynamic, can be fleeting. One million or so Twitter followers today can be kissed goodbye as quickly as a company can go bankrupt or a government overthrown. And so we consider this list a frozen moment in time.”