This week, we’ve been writing about women’s history month. For my post, I wanted to talk about the modern day feminist icons. While there are so many to choose from – Serena Williams, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Emma Watson, Lady Gaga, Alexandra Osario-Cortez – to name a few, I wanted to highlight some feminists that might be ignored or who are up and coming.
Here are five feminist icons to whom you need to pay attention!
1) Laverne Cox
By far, Laverne Cox is the most famous feminist on this list, but I couldn’t help but include her. Laverne Cox is a black trans woman, and therefore faces more complex discrimination than the white cisgender women that started the first wave of feminism and excluded anyone who was different from them. Laverne Cox is a trailblazer for the trans community. She is the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy for acting, and she won an Emmy in 2015 for her documentary, Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word, which follows seven transgender youths from ages 12 to 14. Laverne’s list of achievements is long and impressive, and she is a great example of success for the trans community, the black community and women as a whole. Learn more about Laverne at her website!
2) BL Shirelle
Two weeks ago, I had no idea who BL Shirelle was, but I had the wonderful experience of listening to BL talk at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference this spring break in Washington D.C. BL Shirelle is a formerly incarcerated woman, and she spoke about how women in prison lack basic health care. Her stories were horrifying and highlighted how incarcerated women are viewed as property by the government and are inhumanely treated. BL is currently a contributor to the upcoming multimedia album Die Jim Crow, which is about the black American experience during a time of mass incarceration. It is the first album recorded in several US prisons. You can learn more about the album here.
3) Cristy C. Road
This past fall semester, I stumbled upon Cristy C. Road’s artwork while taking a class about Latinx artists. Cristy C. Road is a jack of all trades: she writes, illustrates, performs music and is an artist as well. Road, who is Cuban-American, has an extensive collection of artwork. My favorite piece of hers is “There is A Light That Never Goes Out,” in which Road drew a Latina woman who is at home with her body and sexuality. There is so much stigma and secrecy surrounding women’s genitalia and sexuality, and I love that Cristy C. Road puts it at the forefront of her artistry. Pictured below is the aforementioned piece. You can learn more about Road on her website here.
4) Justine Biticon
Justine Biticon is most well-known for her appearance on season 23 of America’s Next Top Model, in which she was eliminated in the second episode and had a tear-filled goodbye. Instead of letting her moment pass, Biticon used her 15 seconds of fame to garner more than 1 million followers combined on her Twitter and Instagram, sign with Ford Models (a top modeling agency) and steadily work on campaigns like Nike. Not only is her hard work inspiring, but her activism as well. As a Latina and Asian model, Justine strives for diversity within the modeling and other entertainment industries. Her modeling already is a work of activism, but the way she strives for other minorities is a great example of how people can use their platforms for the better.
5) Maya Chinchilla
Last but not least on this list is Maya Chinchilla! Chinchilla is a Guatemalan-American poet who currently lectures at the University of California in Santa Cruz. I had to read her poetry collection, The Cha Cha Files: A Chapina Poetica, for a class, and I was absolutely delighted. Chinchilla’s poetry discusses the intricacies of her identity. She writes about what it is like to be Guatemalan, an American, a Latina, a woman, a lesbian and more. Her poetry is so vulnerable and raw, and it perfectly captures what it’s like to be a woman in this day and age.