25 Quotes That Prove Feminism Isn't A JOKE - It's What We NEED

When I logged on to Twitter and saw a top trending hashtag “#FeminstAMovie,” I became a bit irate. I’m totally not one of those women who rally outside of courthouses, or tweet about women’s rights and pro-choice, and I’m supremely thankful for the women that DO do all of the above mentioned on my behalf. But here’s the thing: In this politically correct world we live in, even when we go overboard censoring ourselves, when it comes to fighting for the equal rights of female human beings, I'm totally on board.

That's why it's kind of scary when these rights that women have fought for (for decades!) get chalked up to a little joke or quip on Twitter. All the of the hard work women have accomplished are being mocked for the sheer value of a viral tweet. That's NOT OK.

Am I taking this too seriously? No, are YOU taking this seriously enough? By devaluing the plight of women before us, just for comedic purposes on a social media platform, we are hurting ourselves.

The sad part is, WOMEN are tweeting using this hashtag. “The Long Kiss Goodnight (after she signs the consent waiver)” is just one of the tweets that bothered me. As a sexual assault survivor, this is atrocious! Joking about consent is unacceptable, and the fact that it’s being encouraged is scary, if not absolutely deplorable. 

We can’t just sit back, laugh at the tweets, and scroll by them. We can’t continue to allow our rights, as women, to be ribbed on without understanding that this can be detrimental to our cause. A cause that should be over by now. A cause that apparently, we still have a lot of work to do on.

If you're searching for the best quotes and memes to share with the people you love (or just want to feel inspired yourself) ... look no further! From the sweetest love quotes, inspirational sayings, and hilarious friendship truths, we've got you covered. 

1. "One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go."— Sheila Murray Bethel

2. "I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass." — Maya Angelou

3. "It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." — Madeleine Albright

4. "A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want."— Madonna

5. "You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are." — Melissa Etheridge

6. "I always thought that people told you that you're beautiful--that this was a title that was bestowed upon you...I think that it's time to take this power into our own hands and to say, "You know what? I'm beautiful. I just am. And that's my light. I'm just a beautiful woman." — Margaret Cho

7. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West

8. "A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men"— Gloria Steinem

9. "If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." — Margaret Thatcher

10. "A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts." — Nancy Rathburn

11. "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

12. "A woman is like a tea bag—you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." — Eleanor Roosevelt

13. "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

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14. “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

15. "Feminism always gets associated with being a radical movement – good. It should be."— Ellen Page

16. "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

17. "Why has the word [feminism] become such an uncomfortable one? It is not the word that is important; it's the idea and the ambition behind it." — Emma Watson

18. "I believe that the rights of women and girls is the unfinished business of the 21st century." — Hillary Clinton

19. "Feminism is for everybody" ― Bell Hooks

20. "We have to free half of the human race, the women, so that they can help to free the other half."— Emmeline Pankhurst

21. "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

22. "It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals. We should stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by who we are.” — Emma Watson

23. "I’d like every man who doesn’t call himself a feminist to explain to the women in his life why he doesn’t believe in equality for women.” — Louise Brealey

24. "The best protection any woman can have … is courage.” — Elizabeth Cady Stanton

25. "The idea of being a feminist: so many women have come to this idea of it being anti-male and not able to connect with the opposite sex, but what feminism is about is equality and human rights. For me that is just an essential part of my identity." — Lena Dunham