"Did you know the earliest female monastics were often fierce, poetic, and profoundly wise? While male voices have dominated Buddhist history, the role of women in Buddhism is rich and deeply important. From Mahapajapati—Buddha’s aunt and the first ordained nun—to modern female lamas and teachers, women have walked the path with clarity and courage. Still, systemic limitations lingered. So what did the buddha say about women? The Buddha acknowledged women’s full capacity for awakening, but societal structures made their path more difficult. Yet again and again, they proved that liberation has no gender.