“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Heck yeah. As of August 26th, 2014 it will have been 94 years since that beautiful sentence helped us further the feminist cause for women’s rights.
The Women’s Rights Movement started (officially) in 1848 with the Seneca Falls Convention and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott joining forces with Susan B. Anthony to petition for women’s suffrage. It wasn’t until 1920, though, that the amendment received the 2/3 majority ratification by the states to become a national amendment. It took, however, another 64 years for the other 12 states (Mississippi being the last) to adopt the amendment.
In honor of this glorious feminist anniversary, here’s a compilation of some of the best things I’ve seen about women, feminism, misogyny, and how to spark your feminism.
First things first: A Beginner’s Guide to Contemporary Feminist Language Sometimes it’s hard to admit- especially to an intimidatingly hard-core feminist- that you don’t quite understand what intersectionality, transmisogyny, or SWERF is. This article can help.
We’re privileged. Somehow, we are privileged. So, sometimes it’s hard to notice that maybe we aren’t oppressed and don’t face systemic discrimination, but it’s a very real aspect of our society in certain instances. So here’s Why We Need Feminism. and Why Men Need Feminism, too.
Having a role-model for your beliefs can help you accept your own wishes. These 17 Famous Women on What Feminism Means to Them can help.
History is definitely an ally when beginning your adventure into feminism; these little-known 100 Inspiring Women Who Made History can help you out (and another one for good measure).
A big part of feminism today is unity–gaining solidarity with people of all walks of life. Here are some tips on How to Work with Muslim Women; the intersection of Race and Feminism, Women of Color, and how Feminism and LGBTQIA are One and the Same, and What You Can Do To Help.
Embrace your femininity with these 21 Inspiring Quotes Every Woman Needs in Her Life (featuring the intelligence and sparkling wit of Margaret Thatcher, Emma Stone, Charlotte Bronte, Malala Yousafzai, and Beyonce among others)
If you’re looking for something a little more long-term to help inspire you, these 15 books can help you Spark Your Feminist Awakening
We all know humor is the best way to convey seriousness about problems (think Saturday Night Live and the Colbert Report), so here are 19 Tumblr Posts on Misogyny and 31 Tumblr Posts on Being a Woman Today
Maybe you’ve heard of the new movement by some feminists to ban the word “bossy when referring to women. Well, here are 20 more Words That Are Only Ever Used to Describe Women (warning: there are some ladies showing off their middle finger in the GIFs). I mean have you ever described a dude as “bubbly” or “ditzy” or “high-maintenance”? Didn’t think so.
As with the last, irritation at a cultural norm can have a unifying effect. Lot’s of women are tired of hearing these 23 things. Are you?