Rihanna joined US first lady Michelle Obama, British fashion designer Stella McCartney and nine others Monday to be honored as “Women of the Year” after the R&B singer took a public stand on domestic violence. The annual Women of the Year Awards, published by Glamour Magazine for the past 20 years and sponsored by L'Oreal, pay tribute to women who have made major contributions to entertainment, business, sport, fashion, science and politics. Barbados-born Rihanna, 21, whose hit songs include “Umbrella” and “Disturbia”, joined the list after taking a public stand on domestic violence and urging other women to follow her lead after being beaten by singer Chris Brown. Michelle Obama received an award of special recognition for bringing the importance of mentoring to the forefront. Designer Stella McCartney was praised for her designs and also as a life-long vegetarian and animal rights activist who refuses to work with leather or fur, instead using man-made materials. Tennis champion Serena Williams was honored for using her Serena Williams Foundation to give grants to US college students and recently opening a secondary school in Kenya. Also among the honorees were writer, educator and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, pediatrician Jane Aronson who is credited with bringing the plight of orphans to the world's attention through her Worldwide Orphans Foundation, and Marissa Mayer, who helped make Google the number-one search engine. The winners were picked by an advisory board made up of past honorees likeJennifer Lopez, Nora Ephron and Katie Couric.
