21 Inspiring Feminist Quotes for a Serious Dose of Girl Power
We love the message that these feminist quotes send.
When many women hear the word “feminism,” they think about angry, bra-burning ladies in the 1970s, terms like “man-hater” and worse. But these days, a feminist isn’t someone who hates men, and it isn’t even necessarily someone who identifies as a woman. Anyone can be a feminist, and you don’t have to be politically active to support the cause. (Psst: You can use these amazing feminist quotes to speak in solidarity with women across the world!)
Merriam Webster defines “feminism” as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the genders or organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests. Those interests range widely, but they include equal pay, family leave, and even the ability to walk down the street without feeling unsafe. It may seem obvious that all women — and even all decent people — should want those things, but statistics show many women still don’t feel comfortable calling themselves feminists. A recent poll released by CBS News found that 46 percent of women age 18–35 consider themselves feminists, while only 34 percent of women over 35 do. That may be because many of us get stuck in the old guard concept of feminism, but it’s time to give the idea another look. Here are some inspiring quotes about feminism that may help change your mind.
Maya Angelou
Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.
David Alejandro Fearnhead
Life is not a competition between men and woman. It is a collaboration.
Amanda Lovelace
The only thing required to be a woman is to identify as one. Period. End of story.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Teach her that the idea of 'gender roles' is absolute nonsense. Do not ever tell her that she should or should not do something because she is a girl. 'Because you are a girl' is never reason for anything. Ever.
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Caitlin Moran
What is feminism? Simply the belief that women should be as free as men, however nuts, dim, deluded, badly dressed, fat, receding, lazy and smug they might be. Are you a feminist? Of course you are.
Naomi Wolf
What are other women really thinking, feeling, experiencing, when they slip away from the gaze and culture of men?
MacKenzi Lee
You deserve to be here. You deserve to exist. You deserve to take up space in this world of men.
Dolly Parton
I'm not going to LIMIT myself just because people won't accept the fact that I can do something else.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant to be your own person, be INDEPENDENT.
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Louisa May Alcott
The emerging woman ... will be strong-minded, strong-hearted, strong-souled, and strong-bodied ... strength and beauty must go together.
Audre Lorde
I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.
Cassandra Duffy
It's hard not to be a fighter when you're constantly under siege.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human rights. Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak freely — and the right to be heard.
Barbara Strickland
What I am proud of, what seems so simply clear, is that feminism is a way to FIGHT for justice, always in short supply.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Culture does not make people. People make culture. If it is true that the full humanity of women is not our culture, then we can and must make it our culture.
Roxane Gay
I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human. I am messy. I'm not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I'm right. I am just trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.
Adrienne Rich
Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.
Gloria Steinem
A FEMINIST is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.
Margaret Atwood
Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.
Rebecca West
I only know that people call me a FEMINIST whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.
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