50 Feminist Women to Follow on Twitter

8/7/2017 by
Alicia Garza, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter. (Photo courtesy of Centers for Diversity and Inclusion on Flickr / Creative Commons 2.0)

A recent study confirmed that Twitter is dominated by white, male voices. Of the top one percent of Twitter users with the most followers, 57 percent were male and 43 percent female. In addition, Black and Asian women had the least number of followers. In light of these findings, it seems as good a time as any for folks to add more diverse voices to their feeds. Here’s 50 feminists you should hear out.

1. Alicia Garza

Garza is the co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Movement. She spends her time on Twitter supporting the lives of Black women and men who are discriminated against for simply being who they are. She’s all about taking action and calling out the marginalization of people of color.

 

2. Amandla Stenberg

Stenberg is best known for her role as “Rue” in The Hunger Games series, but on Twitter she’s all about empowering women of color and showcasing them. She also takes her time to school everyone on culture appropriation (*cough* Kylie Jenner *cough*).

https://twitter.com/amandlastenberg/status/724064843595022336?lang=en

3. America Ferrera

Besides being an incredible actor and producer, Ferrera is an activist in the streets and in Twitterverse, advocating for not only the rights of women, but women of color, poor women of color and immigrants. She always has something empowering to say.

4. Andi Zeisler

Zeiser is the co-founder of Bitch Media, a nonprofit feminist media organization based in Portland, Oregon. She isn’t afraid to shade the New York Times, enough said.

 

5. Anna Akana

Akana is an actor, filmmaker, producer and comedian but is better known for her YouTube channel, which has over 1.8 million subscribers. Her followers get updates of all her projects and awesome opinions (facts) like this one.

https://twitter.com/annaakana/status/755120580966305792

6. Barbara Boxer

Boxer is a former U.S. Senator from California who literally has pages dedicated to all her accomplishments in her book The Art of Tough: Fearlessly Facing Politics and Life, because she’s done that much. She helped pass the Violence Against Women Act and increase AIDS funding. She’s also not afraid to voice her opinions.

7. bell hooks

hooks is an author, feminist and social activist that has contributed to the movement with her books on race, sex, gender, sexuality and intersectionality.

https://twitter.com/bellhooks/status/730505285698240512

8. Bernice King

King is the youngest child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. She is a public speaker, lawyer and minister. She often spends time on Twitter reminding followers of her father’s legacy in the Civil Rights Movement.

9. Carly Findlay

Findlay is a blogger, writer, speaker and appearance activist. She speaks about what it’s like to have a visibly different appearance. She knows how to use a hashtag, and never fails to say the right things.

https://twitter.com/carlyfindlay/status/831089548373352448

10. Carmen Rios

Rios is the digital editor at Ms., managing editor at Argot, a contributor at Everyday Feminism and co-host of the Bossy Show. Similar to Hillary Clinton, her trolls don’t faze her.

https://twitter.com/carmenriosss/status/889614415691214852

11. Cherrie Moraga

Moraga is a queer Chicana writer, feminist activist and co-editor of “This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, an anthology of feminist thought. She frequently posts events she will appear at and will occasionally call out #45.

12. Denice Frohman

Frohman is an award-winning poet, writer, performer, educator and speaker. Her work explores the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender and sexuality. She’s the definition of WOKE and her tweets show it.

13. Dolores Huerta

Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez and has worked to improve social and economic conditions for farm workers for years. She is a true icon in the Latino community and represents them proudly.

14. Eleanor Smeal

Smeal is the president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to women’s equality, reproductive health and non-violence. She has played a leading role in both national and state campaigns for over two decades. She has no time for the patriarchy.

15. Ellen DeGeneres

DeGeneres is an award-winning day time television host, comedian actor, writer and producer. Her selfies go viral on Twitter and she has time to tag friends to show support, no matter what.

16. Elizabeth Warren

The Senator of Massachusetts made headlines when she was silenced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who unintentionally created a rallying cry for supporters of Warren when he said, “Sen. Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”

17. Emma Watson

Watson is an actor and activist who was appointed UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014. She hosted HeForShe, a solidarity campaign for the advancement of women. On Twitter, she spends time advocating feminism, education for women of all ages and the importance of literature.

18. Gabrielle Giffords

Gliffords is a former Arizona congresswoman who made headlines when she was the victim of an assassination attempt. She has dedicated herself to public service for more than 15 years and co-founded Americans for Responsible Solutions, a non-profit organization that supports gun control. Giffords supports the survivor and disabled community on Twitter.

19. Gloria Steinem

Besides being a pioneering feminist and activist, Steinem is an award-winning  journalist, best-selling author and co-founder of Ms.

20. Hillary Clinton

Clinton made history when she became the first woman to become the presidential nominee of a major political party, but she also made major moves as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Not only are her actions empowering, so are her words.

21. Janet Mock

The New York Times best-selling author, host, columnist and transgender rights activist is a voice for the voiceless.

22. Jazz Jennings

Besides being a reality star, Jennings is the co-founder of the Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation, an organization supporting trans youth. She offers genuine advice, but does’t care for etiquette on Twitter.

23. Jen Kirkman

Kirkman is a best-selling author and comedian and a great observer.

https://twitter.com/JenKirkman/status/883844279919149056

24. Jessica Valenti

Valenti is best known for for spearheading the feminist movement online. She founded Feministing, a blog run by young feminists and is a best-selling author. Her tweets are on point, enough said.

https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/status/876869657684316161

25. J.K. Rowling

Rowling is best known for creating the wizarding world of Harry Potter. She is a writer, film and television producer and great at captioning gifs on Twitter.

26. Kamala Harris

Harris is the senator of California. She is dedicated to fighting for justice and providing a voice for the voiceless. She reminds us that the fight for basic human rights is not over.

27. Keah Brown

Brown is a freelance writer, journalist, and creator of #DisabledAndCute. She is a firm believer that it is important to hear from all communities, especially the disability community.

28. Kerry Washington

She’s the star of the Shonda Rhimes TV series ‘Scandal’ and is a feminist spokesperson. She endorsed Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election continues to show her support through Twitter.

29. Kimberly Bryant

Bryant is a biotech engineer and founder of Black Girls Code. She’s all about intersectionality and hashtags.

30. Laverne Cox

The Orange is The New Black star is a transgender rights activist and constantly supports the community on Twitter.

31. Liz Plank

Plank is the senior producer and correspondent at Vox, where she hosts a series about the presidential election. She has no time for chauvinists.

https://twitter.com/feministabulous/status/880757833951850496

32. Malala Yousafzai

Yousafzai defied the Talibam in Pakistan and demanded that girls be allowed to receive an education. She was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in 2012, but survived and went on t =o receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She uses Twitter to keep in touch with girls who are empowered by her.

33. Mara Keisling

Keisling founded the National Center for Transgender Equality, the leading social justice advocacy organization for transgender people in the U.S. She helped pass transgender-inclusive federal legislation including the revision allowing individuals to change their gender marker on their passport.

34. Maria Hinojosa

Hinojosa founded Futuro Media Group and is a multimedia journalist. She of all people knows representation matters and is crucial in order to see real change.

35. Maxine Waters

Waters is a leader in American politics and has gained a rep as a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color and the impoverished.

36. Melissa McEwan

McEwan founded Shakesville, a social justice blog, in which she frequently shares her wit and perspective on what’s happening with our country.

https://twitter.com/Shakestweetz/status/887100036118663168

37. Mia Mingus

Mingus is a queer Korean feminist, community educator and organizer who advocates for prison abolition an anti-profit prison industrial complex supporter. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for those who want to represent the movement, but physically can’t.

38. Mindy Kaling

Kaling was the only woman in the writers’ room for the U.S. TV series The Office. Since then, she has created her own show, The Mindy Project, in which she is the main protagonist. Besides acting and producing, she is a New York Times best-selling author and comedian.

https://twitter.com/mindykaling/status/839216892485083136

39. Mikki Kendall

Mikki Kendall is a writer, diversity consultant and occasional feminist who talks a lot about intersectionality, policing, gender, sexual assault and other current events.

40. Opal Tometi

Tometi co-founded the Black Lives Matter movement. She is a writer and organizer that aims to quash internet trolls.

41. Oprah Winfrey

Winfrey is one of the most popular talk show hosts, an actor, producer and philanthropist. We are sure the list goes on.

42. Patrisse Cullors

Cullors co-founded the Black Lives Matter and Power Dignity movement. She’s an artist and organizer and is an informative person to follow on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/OsopePatrisse/status/887076348874838016

43. Prerna Lal

Lal is a DREAMer, writer and immigration and queer rights activist. Lal writes on immigration, racial justice and  sexual orientation.

44. Sady Doyle

Doyle is the author of Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock and Fear…and Why, a book on how we build up and tear down rebellious women, from the French Revolution to Perez Hilton.

https://twitter.com/sadydoyle/status/878985646974664704

45. Sarah McBride

McBride is currently the National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign. She spoke at the 2016 DNC, becoming the first person who is transgender to do so at a major party convention.

46. Sarah Silverman

Silverman is a well-known stand-up comedian, actor, producer and writer. In her spare time, she calls out unfair double standards.

47. Shonda Rhimes

Rhimes is best known for creating television series: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder. She is also a best-selling author and firm believer that women can do anything.

48. Stephanie Woodward

Woodward is the director of advocacy at the Center for Disability Rights, and member of ADAPT, which organized to assure people with disabilities receive their civil and human rights. She’s not afraid to speak up against injustice, literally anywhere she goes.

49. Tammy Duckworth

Duckworth is the first Asian-American congresswoman for Illinois and first disabled female veteran to join the U.S. House of Representatives, and later became a U.S. Senator in 2016. Not only is her story inspiring, so are her tweets.

50. Winona LaDuke

LaDuke is best known for her work on tribal land claims and preservation, as well as sustainable development, as an environmentalist, economist and writer.

 

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About

Meliss Arteaga studied at California State University Northridge and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and minor in gender and women studies.

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