Welcome to our compilation of Feminism Quotes, a collection of insightful and empowering words from influential voices throughout history. Feminism, as a movement advocating for gender equality and the rights of women, has sparked countless discussions, debates, and changes in society. From the suffragettes fighting for the right to vote to modern activists advocating for intersectional feminism, the journey towards gender equality has been long and multifaceted.
These quotes reflect the diverse perspectives within the feminist movement, encompassing a range of ideologies, experiences, and struggles. They highlight the resilience, strength, and determination of individuals who have challenged societal norms, shattered glass ceilings, and paved the way for progress. Whether it’s addressing systemic discrimination, promoting body positivity, or championing reproductive rights, these quotes encapsulate the essence of feminism and inspire us to continue the fight for equality.
I really admire Ana Mendieta. She was a Cuban American artist who died the year I was born and whose work examines violence, feminism, and belonging. Her art is always brave and visually arresting and vibrates with meaning. Emma Healey
Really, feminism is just about equality, and that’s all. It’s just saying equal rights. Abi Morgan
I don’t think that French women are less feminist. If you look at Simone de Beauvoir, she was French and she wrote one of the founding texts of feminism. Stacy Martin
Sadly, a lot of what passes for feminism these days is just moaning about men, congratulating ourselves on nothing in particular, and mocking them for being big kids while doing everything we can to keep them that way. Julie Burchill
I prefer to call the most obnoxious feminists what they really are: feminazis. Tom Hazlett, a good friend who is an esteemed and highly regarded professor of economics at the University of California at Davis, coined the term to describe any female who is intolerant of any point of view that challenges militant feminism. Rush Limbaugh
Sexual harassment law is very important. But I think it would be a mistake if the sexual harassment law movement is the only way in which feminism is known in the media. Judith Butler
After feminism, I suddenly realised: not everyone has to live the same way. Imagine that! Gloria Steinem
Feminism isn’t simply about being a woman in a position of power. It’s battling systemic inequities; it’s a social justice movement that believes sexism, racism and classism exist and interconnect, and that they should be consistently challenged. Jessica Valenti
I feel like so much of mainstream feminism springs from the second wave, which was essentially a discourse spearheaded by white, cisgender, upper middle class women. I feel – especially as I’m trying to negotiate this new female space with the feminism that’s available to me – there are a lot of places where I’m disenfranchised. Hari Nef
Some people ask, ‘Why the word ‘feminist’? Why not just say you are a believer in human rights, or something like that?’ Because that would be dishonest. Feminism is, of course, part of human rights in general – but to choose to use the vague expression ‘human rights’ is to deny the specific and particular problem of gender. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This idea of feminism as a party to which only a select few people get to come – this is why so many women, particularly women of colour, feel alienated from mainstream western academic feminism. Because don’t we want it to be mainstream? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My feminism is what came squarely up against my faith. There’s a lot of ecstatic post-patriarchal Christians who have stuff they do with that. But at that point, you’re doing Christianity with a double-superscript. The Bible, and especially the book of Genesis, is pretty unapologetically patriarchal. John Darnielle
Like George Sand, the feminism of the present day asserts the right of free thought against the creed of authority in every field; the solidarity of mankind and the cause of peace against the patriotism of militarism; social reform against the existing relations of society. Ellen Key
My generation fought very hard for feminism, and we fought very hard to not be labeled as you had to have a husband or you had to be in a relationship, or you were somehow not a cool chick. Stevie Nicks
‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ is an idealized, fun comedy world in which feminism is an underlying value that all the characters have. Equality is a value all the characters have. I mean, I want to live in that world. I’d like to make the world feel more like that, but I understand that it’s a fantasy. Stephanie Beatriz
When 1970s feminism hit the United States, women demanded the right to natural childbirth and to have their husband or another support person in the delivery room. My mother gave birth to me during this time. Christy Turlington
Feminism is not dead, by no means. It has evolved. If you don’t like the term, change it, for Goddess’ sake. Call it Aphrodite, or Venus, or bimbo, or whatever you want; the name doesn’t matter, as long as we understand what it is about, and we support it. Isabel Allende
When people ask me do I believe in feminism – well, I didn’t even know I was a feminist. I was the top of the bill; I’ve always been the top of the bill. So I don’t know what equality is. Cilla Black
I am not anti-men, I believe truly that we are meant to be equal. We should be judged equally and I think I am a living example of feminism. Farah Khan
He travels fastest who travels alone, and that goes double for she. Real feminism is spinsterhood. Florence King
We’re never going to come to a moment where all of us who claim to be feminists can agree about what the first priority of feminism is. Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
The stereotypes of feminists as ugly, or man-haters, or hairy, or whatever it is – that’s really strategic. That’s a really smart way to keep young women away from feminism, is to kind of put out this idea that all feminists hate men, or all feminists are ugly; and that they really come from a place of fear. Jessica Valenti
I don’t belong to any clubs, and I dislike club mentality of any kind, even feminism – although I do relate to the purpose and point of feminism. More in the work of older feminists, really, like Germaine Greer. Jane Campion
Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. Pat Robertson
Feminism is just an idea. It’s a philosophy. It’s about the equality of women in all realms. It’s not about man-hating. It’s not about being humorless. We have to let go of these misconceptions that have plagued feminism for 40, 50 years. Roxane Gay
I think the world is ambivalent about feminism. So I can’t blame college students. I think they’re reflecting the greater culture’s attitude toward feminism. So what I can do is, in ways that are appropriate, advocate for feminism and help the students learn what feminism is about. Roxane Gay
For me, feminism is a movement for which the end goal is to make itself no longer needed. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
I support anything that broadens the message of gender equality and tempers the stigma of the feminist label. We run into trouble, though, when we celebrate celebrity feminism while avoiding the actual work of feminism. Roxane Gay
Whenever women struggle with breast cancer and face better care than ever, that’s feminism. bell hooks
To me, feminism is such a simple description: it’s equal rights, economic rights, political rights, and social rights. Callie Khouri
The Myth of Male Power dealt much more with the political issues, the legal issues, sexual harassment, date rape, women who kill, and those issues were very much more interfaced with the agendas of feminism. Warren Farrell
My feminism, as intended by me, extends to empowering women to make legal choices, not to judge the legal choices they make. My fight is for rights. Maajid Nawaz
We’re still stuck in male, female, feminism. I don’t believe in, you know… I believe in gender equality. Saba Qamar
For me feminism is equality. Farah Khan
I think there’s a misunderstanding that feminism is about bringing men down to bring women up and it’s certainly not that. Desi Lydic
This is the problem with modern-day feminism. It used to be about equality. Now, it’s about bashing men, asking for free stuff, and tearing down other women for refusing to play victim to the trumped-up, B.S. ‘War on Women.’ Tomi Lahren
Feminism wasn’t really at the top of my vocabulary. I think what’s been interesting for me – let me say this delicately – when I’ve been surrounded by men who don’t believe women are equal, I didn’t think women were equal, including myself. Whitney Wolfe Herd
I, personally, do not consider myself to be some kind of Holy Mary of feminism. Zara Larsson
Feminism isn’t about hating men. It’s about challenging the absurd gender distinctions that boys and girls learn from childhood and carry into their adult lives. Robert Webb
People have accepted the media’s idea of what feminism is, but that doesn’t mean that it’s right or true or real. Feminism is not monolithic. Within feminism, there is an array of opinions. Judy Chicago
My mum fought for feminism in her day so instilled in me the importance of equality. She taught me so much about women. Chris Evans
My feminism is humanism, with the weakest being those who I represent, and that includes many beings and life forms, including some men. Sandra Cisneros
For me, feminism is about equality. So, when someone works for a Wall Street firm and says they’re a feminist, my eyes are going to roll. Jodie Evans
Feminism is dated? Yes, for privileged women like my daughter and all of us here today, but not for most of our sisters in the rest of the world who are still forced into premature marriage, prostitution, forced labor – they have children that they don’t want or they cannot feed. Isabel Allende
There’s just as many different kinds of feminism as there are women in the world. Kathleen Hanna
We all fight over what the label ‘feminism’ means but for me it’s about empowerment. It’s not about being more powerful than men – it’s about having equal rights with protection, support, justice. It’s about very basic things. It’s not a badge like a fashion item. Annie Lennox
The problem with feminism in the second wave was that we fought so much among ourselves, and I think we did so much damage to the movement… and I think the next wave, the third wave, is women mentoring younger women and women helping younger women to enter the political process and the writing world. Erica Jong
I think feminism is the worst thing that ever happened to women. Our job used to be no job. We had it so good! Ali Wong
Flyaway, problem hair is the enemy of feminism, and was probably invented by the Man to crush Susan Sontag. Caitlin Moran
My idea of feminism is self-determination, and it’s very open-ended: every woman has the right to become herself, and do whatever she needs to do. Ani DiFranco
I’ll cough up the bitter truth right now, at the risk of losing my Feminism Club Decoder Ring: I didn’t go see ‘Inside Out’ for Amy Poehler, though she’s terrific. I went to see my dark prince, Lewis Black. MaryJanice Davidson
If feminism wasn’t powerful, if feminism wasn’t influential, people wouldn’t spend so much time putting it down. Jessica Valenti
Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. Pat Robertson
Until women learn to want economic independence, and until they work out a way to get this independence without denying themselves the joys of love and motherhood, it seems to me feminism has no roots. Crystal Eastman
Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream. Rush Limbaugh
I consider myself a feminist because I believe women should have equal rights. Of course. It’s just that the term ‘feminism’ conjures up other things for people. Marina and the Diamonds
Having a monolithic view of feminism is suffocating. Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
No, feminism isn’t ‘over.’ We need it not only to challenge injustice but because the whole gender expectations thing is bad for men, too. Robert Webb
The cornerstone of the political correctness that dominates campus culture is radical feminism. Phyllis Schlafly
Environmental concerns and feminism are locked together. Generally, women have closer connections to the organic nature of our lives. Carolyn Kizer
I think feminism’s a bit misinterpreted. It was about casting off all gender roles. There’s nothing wrong with a man holding a door open for a girl. But we sort of threw away all the rules, so everybody’s confused. And dating becomes a sloppy, uncomfortable, unpleasant thing. Zosia Mamet
When feminism does not explicitly oppose racism, and when anti-racism does not incorporate opposition to patriarchy, race and gender politics often end up being antagonistic to each other, and both interests lose. Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
Although I often find that the feminist rhetoric – not feminism – can come across as simple-minded, self-regarding, nuance-averse and reductive – biology to physiology, history to psychology, procreation to gynecology, and so on – I have come to realize that we should all be feminists. Neri Oxman
And the first commandment of feminism is: I am woman; thou shalt not tolerate strange gods who assert that women have capabilities or often choose roles that are different from men’s. Phyllis Schlafly
Feminism is just about equality, really, and there’s so much stuff attached to the word, when it’s actually so simple. I don’t know why it’s always so bogged down. Mia Wasikowska
Feminism basically says both men and women are equal. It doesn’t say women are better or men are stupid. Richa Chadha
I am for feminism. I stand up for women standing up for themselves in the same way I stand up for being black. Skepta
Young feminists have been sold a bill of goods about American feminism. The enormous changes in women over the past 40 years are constantly and falsely attributed to the organized women’s movement of the late 1960s and ’70s. Camille Paglia
Feminism is not only for women It’s something everyone can participate in, and evolve together, as the first step in the right direction. I see feminism as a tool to achieve that balance and peace. Ani DiFranco
Feminism is doomed to failure because it is based on an attempt to repeal and restructure human nature. Phyllis Schlafly
Feminism will never reach the next stage until women stop competing with each other on the level of looks. Rosamund Pike
I think feminism means what it has always meant – women want to use all their gifts, all their talents and be judged impartially for them. I don’t think feminism has ever meant anything else. Erica Jong
It can’t be articulated enough, that feminism means the desire to have equality between men and women. I believe that, and I act on those beliefs by going to marches and making a difference where I can. Maya Hawke
Feminism is not just about women; it’s about letting all people lead fuller lives. Jane Fonda
I have grown up in an environment of equality, so feminism is equality for me. Mandira Bedi
Contrary to myth, ‘The Feminine Mystique’ and feminism did not represent the beginning of the decline of the stay-at-home mother but a turning point that led to much stronger legal rights and ‘working conditions’ for her. Stephanie Coontz
The struggle of democratic secularism, religious tolerance, individual freedom and feminism against authoritarian patriarchal religion, culture and morality is going on all over the world – including the Islamic world, where dissidents are regularly jailed, killed, exiled or merely intimidated and silenced. Ellen Willis
I’ve always thought feminism had a lot to say about both genders, as it is hard to talk about one without the other. I think men and women alike would benefit from men having a more fluid idea of what being a man is. Matt Haig
Feminism is the ability to choose what you want to do. Nancy Reagan
Out with stereotypes, feminism proclaims. But stereotypes are the west’s stunning sexual personae, the vehicles of art’s assault against nature. The moment there is imagination, there is myth. Camille Paglia
The women’s movement gave me a set of tools to think about things like my body and how people react to me and the way that my dating life was going. It’s a very practical movement – yes, it’s about issues like how we can get more women MPs elected, but it’s also about how feminism affects things like your relationship. Naomi Alderman
Feminism has never been sexy, but let me assure you that it never stopped me from flirting, and I have seldom suffered from lack of men. Isabel Allende
Yes, the ’60s went too far, but we were trying to find new ways, better ways, to do things. And great seeds were planted: civil rights, the peace movement, the environmental movement, feminism. They’re big seeds. They take a long time to come to fruition. Please, let’s stop fighting, and get out our water cans. John Densmore
I think that, unfortunately, people who are maybe threatened by feminism think that it’s about setting your bra on fire and being aggressive, and I think that’s really wrong and really dangerous. Jenny Slate
In every generation and in every intellectual sphere and in every political moment, there have been African American women who have articulated the need to think and talk about race through a lens that looks at gender or think and talk about feminism through a lens that looks at race. Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It’s about making life more fair for women everywhere. It’s not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It’s about baking a new pie. Gloria Steinem
I think the history of western feminism is one that is fraught with racism, and I think it’s important to acknowledge that and, at the same time, to say that feminism is not the western invention, that my great-grandmother in what is now south-western Nigeria is feminist. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Everyone thinks of the roaring twenties and associates it with decadence and flappers, female sexual liberation, the freedom of women to express themselves, the beginning of feminism. But it was also a time of huge, huge change. Billy Howle
The political currents that topped the global agenda in the late 20th century – revolutionary nationalism, feminism and ethnic struggle – place culture at their heart. Terry Eagleton
I have never felt oppressed by women or that feminism is a problem. I do think boys find it hard to like things seen as feminine. I want my son not to feel self-conscious he likes ballet and my daughter to carry on playing Han Solo; that’s all. Matt Haig
The point of feminism is you shouldn’t have to be a man to be treated with equal respect. Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
Men need to understand, and women too, what feminism is really about. Annie Lennox
I was never against marriage per se. Before feminism, I didn’t think you had any choice. In fact, for a long time I always assumed I would get married. I just didn’t see any marriages I wanted to emulate, so I kept putting it off. Gloria Steinem
Feminism is hated because women are hated. Anti-feminism is a direct expression of misogyny; it is the political defense of women hating. Andrea Dworkin
So, obviously, on International Women’s Day, we are honoring the achievements of women, but gender equality and feminism cannot evolve in our humanity if we’re not bringing our boys and men along. Sophie Gregoire Trudeau
We have to give feminism a shot. Out of sheer self preservation, we have to stand aside and let women run the show. Irvine Welsh
I don’t think I’m inherently feminist. I think the universe wants me to be feminist, and I think I resonate with that. I think it just chose me to be this female energy… thing. And I’m very drawn to female energy, but I don’t really have any prerequisites in feminism. I just roll with it. SZA
When we talk about feminism – equality without apology for all – we can’t be talking about for all white women or all highly educated women but all women, regardless of color, class, creed, sexual orientation or identity. Christine Pelosi
Hebrew School was my first introduction to real feminism. I remember that much more than I remember any kind of actual religious teaching. Jesse Andrews
Would you rather your child had feminism or cancer? Steve Bannon
