Need a read that straightens your spine? Words that give you a kick as high as coffee but as heartwarming as chicken soup for the soul? Try reading these 15 empowering quotes about feminism, from women who shake the world…
So, what is feminism all about? Probably different things to different people. But for many, it means the eternal struggle of having to fight to put the female gender on an equal scale with men. It means working towards gender equality everywhere—whether at home, at work, or on the roads—and basically with your first breath of the day. But being a feminist has got nothing to do with your own sex. There are women who are the worst enemy of women, and men who are staunch feminists in their stead. There are people of all races, colors, and carders who try to hold back women and take us back into the dark ages, and there are those who work and strive to make sure that the scales begin to tilt into equality. In case you need some ray of hope in a life that seems a tad too dark at the edges, here are some quotes from amazing people who so know what they are talking about when it comes to feminism.
- “I raise up my voice - not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard...we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” ―Malala Yousafzai. This is from the Pakistani teen who decided to take a stand against the Taliban and go to school (education for females is banned by the Taliban), despite being almost killed in a terrorist attack. She is also the youngest Nobel Laureate and heroine of sorts for all women and especially Moslem women trying to make a difference.
- “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” —Margaret Thatcher. The iron lady never minced any words, be it in power or after and most of the 1980s, she was the most powerful woman in the world.
- “I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a b*tch, okay.” ―Madonna. Not much needs to be said about this self-made diva who has always lived life on her own terms.
- “Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.”―Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A bright star of African literature, her TED talks are as popular as her award-winning books.
- “Feminism isn't about making women strong. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” —G.D. Anderson. The only man on the list, George Anderson sure knew what he was talking about.
- “Women are always saying, 'We can do anything that men can do' but men should be saying, 'We can do anything that women can do.'“ —Gloria Steinem. A staunch feminist, she and her counterparts work tirelessly for gender equality.
- “The more I have spoken about feminism, the more I have realized that fighting for women's rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.” —Emma Watson. Little Hermoine seems all grown up and very, very wise.
- “No woman should be told she can't make decisions about her own body. When women's rights are under attack, we fight back.” —Kamala Harris. A senator, an attorney and a potential presidential candidate of USA in 2020.
- “Women will be hidden no more. We will not remain hidden figures. We have names...It was woman that gave you Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was woman that gave you Malcolm X. And according to the Bible, it was a woman that gave you Jesus. Don't you ever forget it.” —Janelle Monáe. A recording artist, producer, and actress, this is the daydreamer all grown up.
- “I am a woman with thoughts and questions and shit to say. I say if I'm beautiful. I say if I'm strong. You will not determine my story–I will.” —Amy Schumer. When this stand-up comic talks about feminism, she's not being funny.
- “For I conclude that the enemy is not lipstick, but guilt itself; we deserve lipstick, if we want it, AND free speech; we deserve to be sexual AND serious – or whatever we please. We are entitled to wear cowboy boots to our own revolution. –Naomi Wolf. Love her books or hate them, Wolf is here to stay and say her bit about feminism.
- “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” —Rebecca West. Author and feminist par excellence.
- “I’m a feminist. I’ve been a female for a long time now. It’d be stupid not to be on my own side.” —Maya Angelou. Need we say anything about her?
- “There is no female mind. The brain is not an organ of sex. Might as well speak of a female liver.” —Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The brave writer who wrote about her own experience with postpartum psychosis at a time where women were bred to breed, literally.
- “Feminism is not a dirty word. It does not mean you hate men, it does not mean you hate girls that have nice legs and a tan, and it does not mean you are a ‘b*tch’ or ‘d*ke’; it means you believe in equality.” —Kate Nash. The recording artist and singer inserts just the right note, doesn't she?
So go ahead and do your thing. Do your yoga, drink that herbal tea, and dance to your tune. Stand tall, stand proud, and stand together. Remind yourself that you are beautiful and unique and irreplaceable. You owe it to yourself to believe that, and anyone who says otherwise is simply not worth your energy! Be yourself at home, at work, or in a relationship. Love yourself and stay happy!
