5 Individuals & Organizations Speaking Up About Feminism

Around the world, women have historically been denied the same privileges afforded men. Great strides have been made, but true gender equality is still a dream unrealized. The individuals and groups included here are among those speaking passionately and intelligently about women's rights, advancing feminism through education and direct action. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

5 Committed Feminist Women and Groups

Name Description
Adora Svitak A writer, speaker, and advocate for feminism, youth empowerment, and literacy, she delivered a popular TED Talk about what adults can learn from kids
POW! Organizes and facilitates UK community projects throughout the year, as well as an annual festival coinciding with International Women's Day, that encourage involvement in local arts and culture
Lara Owen Internationally recognized scholar who has pioneered research and writing on menstruation
Dana Suchow An expert in the field of body image and eating disorder prevention, she creates opportunities to empower women and make their voices heard
Katie Martell On-demand marketing and communications consultant who works to create positive change in the industry by uncovering hard truths about gender and advertising

The Activism and Pedagogy of Adora Svitak

10 Women Who Changed History

  1. Claudette Colvin: Teenage civil rights activist
  2. Jane Addams: Nobel Peace Prize winner & suffragette
  3. Rosalind Franklin: Made ground-breaking discoveries about DNA
  4. Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist and women's rights activist
  5. Indira Gandhi: First female prime minister of India
  6. Margaret Sanger: Fought for women's right to birth control
  7. Marsha P. Johnson: Trans woman and LGBT rights activist
  8. Junko Tabei: First woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest
  9. Susan Travers: WWII General who served in Italy, Germany, & France
  10. Betty Friedan: Social activist and author of The Feminine Mystique

We Should All Be Feminists

In Depth

Over the centuries, women have struggled to gain the freedom to vote, work and get equal pay. Attaining equal rights is an ongoing battle and looks different depending on many factors such as country, race, religion, physicality and economic status. Listed here, in no particular order, are some people and organizations that explore these topics and are dedicated to advocating for women's rights.

Up first at #1, Adora Svitak is a writer, speaker, and advocate for causes including feminism, youth empowerment, and literacy. She began delivering writing workshops at local schools after publishing a collection of short stories. Standard Magazine named Svitak one of the "30 Top Thinkers Under 30" and "an activist for feminism, liberal politics, and youth-oriented causes."

In 2010, she delivered the speech "What Adults Can Learn from Kids" at TED. The speech has received more than five million views on the TED website, and has been translated into more than 40 different languages. Svitak's passion for amplifying the voices of youth led her to organize a team of students to produce the event TEDxRedmond. Svitak graduated with a major in Development Studies and a minor in South Asian Studies and Creative Writing from UC Berkeley in 2018.

Svitak graduated with a major in Development Studies and a minor in South Asian Studies and Creative Writing from UC Berkeley in 2018.

Up next at #2, POW!, which stands for Power of Women, is a charity celebrating and exploring issues around Feminism, women and girls. It was founded in November 2015, and the first festival took place in March 2016. The mission of this organization is to advance education and raise general awareness among the public in regards to the issues and challenges in the lives of females.

POW! organizes and facilitates different music and art events throughout the year, as well as an annual festival which coincides with International Women's Day. This organization operates across the three main towns of Thanet, Kent - Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. POW! seeks to foster community involvement in local arts and cultural activities while spotlighting the work of local female artists.

Moving on to #3 on our list, Lara Owen is a writer, researcher and teacher who focuses mainly on the topic of menstruation. Owen also works in partnership with academic institutions and organizations on subjects such as menstrual practices, wellbeing, history, politics, and broader matters concerning women and the workplace.

Owen also works in partnership with academic institutions and organizations on subjects such as menstrual practices, wellbeing, history, politics, and broader matters concerning women and the workplace.

Owen is recognized internationally for her pioneering and continuing work on attitudes and behaviors surrounding menstruation. Her first book, Her Blood Is Gold, was published in 1993 and has become a classic in the literature of women's health and spirituality. It continues to be cited frequently as an inspiration for menstrual activists and educators. Owen is also the author of several other books that explore transformative experiences in everyday life.

#4 on our list is Dana Suchow. After overcoming bulimia, binge eating disorder and exercise compulsion, Suchow has become an expert in the field of body image and eating disorder prevention. In 2012, she founded Do The Hotpants as a fashion blog, but once she realized fashion's unattainable beauty standards were fueling her negative body image, she decided to focus on activism.

In 2014, Suchow founded #MyBodyStory, an ongoing storytelling series created to uplift women's voices that otherwise go unheard. Suchow's work centers on giving teachers, parents and caregivers the tools they need to prevent eating disorders in girls before they start. She offers a nonclinical and holistic approach, and teaches adults how to put their children on a path towards body love, empowerment and self-acceptance.

She offers a nonclinical and holistic approach, and teaches adults how to put their children on a path towards body love, empowerment and self-acceptance.

#5 on our list is Katie Martell, a marketing consultant, speaker and writer who thinks faux-feminism in marketing has dangerous implications for the women's rights movement. "Femvertising" refers to any use of feminism in advertising. Martell states that companies that use "femvertising" without taking accountability for sexist and biased practices within their businesses create an illusion of progress in the fight for women's equal rights.

Martell holds that the danger with "femvertising" is that this type of advertising tricks people into thinking society is more progressive than it truly is. Martell regularly speaks at events, schools, companies and agencies to present this point of view. She seeks to encourage marketing agencies and brands to be accountable for their actions and to consider the potential detriments in running hypocritical campaigns in the age of accountability, #MeToo and transparency.