To celebrate Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras, Mamamia is proud to launch our 50 most kick-arse LGBTQI women list.

We’re here to celebrate the women who inspire us. The women we admire and want to be friends with. The women we want to date. The women who are changing the game.

Mamamia will be counting down from today until Mardi Gras — here is our first group of amazing women:

Sally Rugg

(Source: Supplied.)

Adele Moleta

(Source: Facebook)

Adele Moleta is a teacher, performer, event organiser and the kind of person you wish you were friends with. Moleta has worked endlessly to create safe spaces for the LGBTQI community that platform their talents and celebrate their every last sparkle. Moleta is the creator of Unicorns, an event she developed for LGBTQIA+ community to come together and celebrate queer life. Moleta is also the founder and host of Unicorn Youth on Joy 94.9, a weekly radio show that gives a voice to the LGBTIQA+ youth community. Moleta invites young queer Australians onto the airwaves to share their stories and engage in topics that matter to them and their community.

Penny Wong

(Source: Facebook.)

Listen: Penny Wong talks about getting married. Post continues...

Jacqui Cunningham

(Source: Supplied.)

Roj Amedi

(Source: Twitter.)

Roj Amedi is an accomplished editor, writer, spokesperson and activist for refugee rights. Amedi, a former Iraqi Kurdish refugee herself, is passionate about achieving change for asylum seekers. The young activist is determined to give a voice to the voiceless and change the harmful dialogues that exist around why refugees seek asylum. Amedi continues to raise awareness and lobby for her cause across social and mainstream media platforms.

Sezzo Snot

(Source: Facebook.)

Catherine Humphries

(Source: SBS.)

Jennifer Westacott

(Source: YouTube/Business Council of Australia.)

Kat Dopper

(Source; LinkedIn)

Hannah Gadsby

(Source; Facebook.)

Professor Kerryn Phelps

(Source: LinkedIn.)

Michelle Heyman

(Source: Facebook.)

Carol ‘Carlotta’ Spencer

(Source: Facebook.)

To see Mamamia's complete list, scroll through the gallery below. Stay tuned to learn more about each of these incredible women in our next installments.