Feminism is something that is talked about quite frequently, but also not enough. We’re all aware of the Feminist Movement, and a lot of us probably consider ourselves to be feminists (woohoo!), but it is still a conversation that needs to be had, a history that needs to be celebrated and a future that needs to be fought for. Many of us might be unaware of some of the most influential women and men behind the movement. After all, it is centuries old, meaning a lot of people have done their part in that span of time. We are here today to share with you our favorite feminists of all time: a collection of the most incredible humans who helped shape her-story.
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR
It’s difficult to credit feminism to a single person, but Simone de Beauvoir is the feminist who made big changes. The ideologies of the movement originated from all different sources, dating back centuries. However, her 1949 publication, The Second Sex is often considered as a foundation for the modern feminist movement. She is well-known as one of the first females to publicly denounce the patriarchy, and we think that’s pretty incredible. Beauvoir was insanely heroic for publishing her work, as it was widely criticized and rejected at the time.
MARLENE DIETRICH
This German and American feminist and actress, Marlene Dietrich, is one of our favorite #girlbosses. During her reign of fame, she was often spotted wearing trousers and suits. While this may be rather commonplace today, back then it was incredibly uncommon and taboo. Not only did this confidence pave the way for women’s liberation from skirts and dresses, but it also reminds us that what women put on their bodies implies nothing and is for no one but themselves.
GLORIA JEAN WATKINS
Gloria Jean Watkins, most well known by her pen name, Bell Hooks, made amazing moves towards equality and getting women’s voices heard. Her first work was inspired by another of our favorite feminists of all time, Sojourner Truth, and is titled Ain’t I a Woman: Black women and feminism. Hook examines racism and sexism against black women across her numerous publications, teachings, and works. She has also made numerous contributions to education through proposing and promoting environmental tactics to support the growth of students in partnership with their teachers. She’s perhaps most famously known for her book, Feminism is for Everybody, supporting the idea that feminism should be accepted by the masses through equal interaction between the sexes.
GLORIA STEINEM
Another one of our favorite feminists is Gloria Steinem, the leader of the first women’s march. Steinem is known for being a spearhead of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s. We love Gloria for her activist efforts all across the board. In addition to fighting for gender equality, she’d had a hand in several political efforts fighting for general human rights. She has also contributed widely to women’s visibility and power in the media.
EMMA WATSON
How could the wonderfully smart and talented Emma Watson not be one of our favorite feminists?! Our favorite part about Emma Watson is her campaign, HeForShe. HeForShe advocates for all genders to collaborate to make a positive change on the inequalities, injustices, and stereotypes faced by people who identify as feminine. We think this is so powerful because feminism should be a collaborative effort. Excluding any gender from the feminist conversation is the opposite of the point, and we love that she is advocating for change together, as one.
WOMEN TODAY
The truth is, we could go on forever naming all the feminists that we love and admire. But we’d like to take a moment to recognize our most favorite feminist of all time: you … yes, you! We love our VINA community and all you other powerful humans out there. This community is about fostering meaningful relationships between like-minded individuals. It’s bringing people together to make one another better. It’s providing others with the support, tools, and love that they need to be the best version of themselves. It’s standing together as one and fighting for what we believe in. We thrive on all of you out there, and you inspire us more than we can ever express. Here’s to you, vinas! And here’s to you, feminists of the past, present, and future!
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