Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture

Women’s History Month: Feminists You Should Know

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Siena chapter.

Image Source

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

RBG is my girl! Not only has she fought for women’s rights since the beginning of her law career, but it has become something she is known for on the Surpeme Court. She is the second women to be appointed to the Court, and she was appointed by Bill Clinton. Ginsburg also co-founded Women’s Rights Law Reporter during her early days as a lawyer, which was the first ever law journal to focus solely on women’s rights.

Image Source

Gloria Steinem

Steinem ignited this wave of feminism, and is known as the “Mother of Feminism.” She founded Ms. Magazine, which is still published today. She also co-founded Women’s Action Alliance, National Women’s Political Caucus, Women’s Media Center. All of her actions were inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 2013 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Image Source

Barbara Walters

Everyone knows who Barbara Walters is, but did you know she was the first female to co-host of a news show? She earned half what her male co-workers did at the time, but she would later become the first ever female anchor for the evening news on ABC.

Image Source

Hillary Clinton

Put aside your political views, because this women was the first ever woman to run for public office, which won her the spot in New York’s Senate. The famous saying “Women’s rights are human rights” came from Clinton herself during a speech she gave in 1995. And the basis of her 2016 presidential campaign surrounding itself around women and girls being able to do anything.

Image Source

Oprah Winfrey

A girl that went from rags to riches, started fighting for equal pay for woman at the start of her broadcast career. She would go on to start her own show and built an empire catering toward women and girls. She also started the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, and was award the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

Image Source

Malala Yousafzai

Yousafzai risked her life to fight for women’s education. Now she travels the world to continue that fight.

Image Source

Emma Watson

Once a UN Goodwill Ambassador for Women, which together they would launch a HeForShe Campaign, which encouraged men to join the dialogue. Since then, Watson has started a Feminists book club on Instagram, and has continued to talk openly about the rights of women.

Image Source

Tarana Burke

Not many people know about Burke, but she was the one who started the MeToo Movement all the way back in 2006. And she was the one who coined the term MeToo.

Alyssa Guzman is a Siena College Class of 2021 alumna. During her time at Siena, she Double Majored in English and Communications Journalism with a minor in Writing and Communications.