Owensboro native Hadley Duvall — a survivor of sexual assault whose advocacy for women’s rights has taken her to the national spotlight — has been named one of Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year.
The magazine’s website says, “Since 1990, Glamour has honored the world’s most extraordinary women — trailblazers, rule breakers, visionaries, and champions who have defined each year. Meet the class of 2024.”
Other Women of the Year include Serena Williams; Pamela Anderson; Tina Knowles, Donna Kelce, Maggie Baird, and Mandy Teefey — four mothers of global superstars; Olympians Suni Lee and Allyson Felix; actresses Sydney Sweeny and Taraji P. Henson; and Kaitlyn Joshua, also a women’s rights activist.
Stories on all of the women can be read on Glamour’s website. Duvall and Joshua were both highlighted in the same story, which can be read here. With detailed recounts of their experiences, their story references child rape, abortion, and descriptions of miscarriages.
Duvall, who now lives in Georgetown, first publicly shared her story in 2022, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. A year later, her story gained national attention when she was featured in Gov. Andy Beshear’s campaign ad.
Owensboro Times wrote about Duvall’s initial steps to becoming a women’s rights advocate in early 2024. At the time, Duvall described how she grew up enduring sexual abuse, saying it started when she was 5 years old. At age 12, Duvall was impregnated by her stepfather, who is now serving 20 years in prison for his crimes against her. Duvall miscarried before she had to decide if she would keep the pregnancy.
At the time, Duvall would have had an option on whether or not to terminate the pregnancy; she said she wouldn’t have that same option today. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a trigger law that had been previously approved in Kentucky instantly placed a ban on abortions with the lone exception being when the mother’s life is at risk.
That’s what ultimately led Duvall to share her story with the world. Following her help with the Beshear campaign, Duvall went on to be featured in a similar ad for the Biden-Harris campaign. Now, she’s joined the efforts of the Harris-Walz campaign, making appearances across the country. She also spoke at the Democratic National Convention, where she spoke about the lack of options since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“There are other survivors out there who have no options, and I want you to know that we see you [and] we hear you,” Duvall said during the Convention.
Duvall could not be reached Thursday for comment by Owensboro Times.
