2014 was a great year for women. We started movements, directed Oscar-winning films and brought feminism to the masses. Let’s relive some of the most memorable, exciting and inspiring moments of this year. Hopefully, 2015 will only be bigger and better for women. Let’s hear it for the ladies!
1. Emma Watson’s UN speech
Fresh from college graduation, Emma Watson was named a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador and she isn’t taking that role lightly. The actress gave an empowering speech at the U.N. Headquarters earlier this year and launched the He for She campaign. The movement—which calls for male allies to help end inequalities toward women—gained support from many celebs and continues to grow.
2. Beyoncé’s feminist performance
Beyoncé took this year’s VMAs by storm. In a world where celebrities shy away from the idea of feminism—whether they think it’s about hating men or otherwise—it was incredible to see a worldwide icon proudly embody the movement. Fighting misconceptions is important, but Bey took it to the next level. She didn’t just proclaim herself a feminist. She used a massive platform to make sure everyone knew that it matters.
3. Malala Yousafzai wins the Nobel Peace Prize
First, her memoir became a New York Times Bestseller. Then, she was named one of TIME magazine’s most influential people of 2013. This year, she accepted the prestigious honor of a Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy of girls’ education. The Pakistani activist is the youngest person ever to receive the award. Malala is a shining example of how young women have the power to shape the future.
4. Taylor Swift becomes Billboard Woman of the Year
This is the second year that T. Swift has been named Billboard Woman of the Year—making her the only artist to ever receive the honor twice. Taylor headed the charts over 60 times on the Billboard Hot 100. She’s also the only female artist to ever have not one, but two albums hit 1 million sales. More importantly, Taylor is finding new ways to navigate the ever-changing music industry. She famously pulled her music from Spotify this year in an attempt to bond “music with integrity.”
5. Jennifer Lawrence speaks out on nude photo hacks
The photo leak heard round the world didn’t phase Jennifer Lawrence a bit. In fact, she spoke out against the hackers who stole her personal photos, the people who blamed J. Law for having the pictures and to the people who viewed her photos. It spawned the hastag #imnotlooking on Twitter where people rallied on behalf of Jennifer, and other female celebs affected by the hack. Instead of apologizing, Jennifer reminded us that a woman’s body is no one’s but her own.
6. Aussie TV Anchor wears the same suit everyday
What would happen if a man wore the same clothes for a year? The answer is, nothing. Newscaster Karl Stefanovic brought up the issue of sexism by wearing the same suit everyday for an entire year. He said, “Women are judged more harshly and keenly for what they do, what they say and what they wear.” It’s wonderful to see a male ally to speak out against how women are perceived in the workplace.
7. Ellen Page comes out
“I’m here today because I’m gay and I can make a difference.” These were the powerful words spoken by Ellen Page at a Human Rights Campaign earlier this year. The actress spoke about how she had been afraid to come out and wanted to lend her support to the LGBTQ+ community. Ellen solidified herself as a role model and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
8. Release of ‘Frozen’
Last year, a little movie by the name of Frozen dominated the box office. It earned Disney its first Oscar and was its first animated feature to be helmed by a female director. But the phenomenon didn’t stop there. The film is poised to become the highest grossing animated film ever. Thanks to the girl power of Elsa and Anna, Frozen showed us that female protagonists are just as worthwhile as their male counterparts.
9. Emma Sulkowicz’s “Carry That Weight” movement
If you don’t recognize her name, then you will recognize her as the face of the “Carry That Weight” movement. Emma garnered a lot of attention for carrying her mattress in protest against sexual assault. The Columbia senior first started the movement after filing a harassment claim against a fellow student. After he was found not guilty, Emma didn’t stay quiet. Instead, she rallied with other students to raise awareness. And it’s working. Columbia President Lee Bolligner started a new sexual assault policy in August. It’s a small, but necessary step to help keep students safe.
10. Laverne Cox’s success
Netflix’s original series, “Orange is the New Black,” became an instant success. The series tackles big issues and features an almost entirely female cast—one of whom made Emmy history. Laverne Cox, who plays Sophia Burset, became the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an Emmy.
11. #YesAllWomen
Women’s issues took precedence on Twitter after this year’s Santa Barbara shooting. #YesAllWomen highlighted the harassment women face on a daily basis, whether it be in the workplace, on television or walking down the street.
12. Mo’Ne Davis in the Little League World Series
This teen made sports history when she pitched the first even shutout during a Little League World Series game. Mo’Ne was named this year’s Sports Illustrated Kid of the Year, and even First Lady Michelle Obama is one of Mo’Ne’s supporters. The thirteen-year-old has said she wishes to encourage children to get active. No matter what age, girls can look up to the young athlete.
13. Wonder Woman gets the spotlight
This year’s comic-con exploded with new images from the upcoming Zack Synder superhero flick “Superman VS Batman: Dawn of Justice.” But eyes weren’t on the Man of Steel or the Dark Knight. Fans were delighted to find out that Wonder Woman would not only be getting a cameo, but that she is also slated to get her own feature film! This is an exciting development because it is the first time the Amazonian princess will have ever graced the silver screen. We can only hope this means more female superheroines will be getting their own time to shine in the near future.
14. Shonda Rhimes’ show is one of fall’s most-watched
Shonda was not only honored during The Hollywood Reporter‘s Women in Entertainment, but her new drama “How to Get Away with Murder” became one of Fall’s most watched shows. Shonda is renowned as one of the most successful female showrunners in television. But that didn’t stop a New Yor Times TV critic from labeleing her as an “angry black woman.” In response, Shonda took to her ever-active Twitter feed to set the haters straight.
15. Girls lead ‘Left Behind’
The Last of Us, 2013’s Game of the Year, released it’s highly anticpated DLC Left Behind earlier this year to positive response. Players were beyond excited to play as the spunky Ellie alongside her best friend Riley. What they weren’t expecting was for Ellie’s relationship with Riley to be more than just friends. Writer Neil Druckmann explained that his intention was not in making a platonic relationship—instead, he envisoned the girls as being gay. As the gaming world grows more and more it’s exciting to see gamemakers create more diverse, interesting characters.
16. Goldie Blox
When Goldie Blox debuted during this year’s Super Bowl, we couldn’t contain our excitement. Goldie Blox figures are part of the new age of anti-Barbie. Instead of bubblegum pink dream houses, Goldie Blox figures inspire girls to explore and go on adventures. We only wish we could of had actions figures as cool as Goldie when we were younger!
17. Getty Images diversifies
Diversity is becoming of one Getty Image’s top priorities. They are calling the movement The Curve: depicting people from different backgrounds in positive ways. The company also strives to have more diverse representations of females in support of female empowerment. It is so important to have different ethnicities present in our media. Hopefully, Getty Images will lead the way for other photo agencies to embrace diversity too.