Women throughout history have been inventing, leading, organizing, creating and making the world a better place despite gender injustice. If women knew about these inspiring stories that have been kept from them, would they be bolder and have more willingness to persevere?
Since incorporating as a in 2015, Look What SHE Did! has produced 150+ three- to four-minute films of women telling the stories of the trailblazing women who inspire them. Through a partnership between Ms. and nonprofit Look What SHE Did!, explore some of these untold stories of incredible women.
In honor of Pride Month, we spotlight three queer feminist trailblazers: Afro-futurist novelist Octavia Butler; activist and drag queen Marsha P. Johnson; and actor and comedian Margaret Cho. (And don’t miss previous installments on Asian American and Pacific Islander feminists, Latina trailblazers, women who dissent and Black women leaders!)
Octavia Butler: Ensuring the Future of Blackness and Queerness Through Afro-Futurism
“What we do not see, we assume cannot be. What a destructive assumption.”
Writer Octavia Butler’s enduring legacy lies in her recognition that Blackness and queerness will persist in the future. Revered as the pioneer of Afro-futurism, Butler discovered her passion for writing after watching a bad sci-fi film, challenging herself to do better—and she did. In a genre that rarely included Black and queer women, Butler knew it’d be an uphill battle to prove herself in the science fiction space but her unwavering work ethic and belief in herself paid off.
Unfortunately, she did not live to witness the full extent of her success. Just like the matriarch in her novel Parable of the Sower, her ashes now rest on Mars, a testament to her indomitable spirit.
Nonprofit founder Madin Lopez reflects on the woman who gave her the blueprint to live her own life by.
Margaret Cho: Pushing Boundaries and Celebrating Being Queer
Margaret Cho’s unapologetic raunchiness inspired a new generation of comics. Cho grew up in a Korean-American family amid San Francisco hippie culture. Her stand-up comedy was all about owning her sexuality and body, delving into topics often considered taboo. While her primetime sitcom All-American Girl achieved success, its cancellation after just one season didn’t deter Cho from pushing cultural boundaries and proudly embracing her queerness.
Her trailblazing presence continues to leave an indelible mark on the comedy world, particularly for female, queer and AAPI storytellers like Kat Evasco.
She broke cultural boundaries.
Kat Evasco
Marsha P. Johnson: ‘It’s About Time the Gay Brothers and Sisters Got Their Rights. Especially the Women.’
Marsha P. Johnson paved the way for us to celebrate Pride today. As a Black trans woman from a conservative background, Johnson fled to New York City to find liberation. There, she discovered a community that embraced her. Marsha fearlessly fought for the rights of queer people during a time when trans women encountered repression, arrests, and, tragically, even death. Despite the police ruling her passing as a suicide, the community vehemently rejected this verdict, firmly believing that Johnson would never have taken her own life.
During this Pride celebration, actress and activist Bri Giger celebrates and honors her favorite trailblazer.
She said the ‘P’ stands for ‘Pay it No Mind.’
Bri Giger
Up next:
U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. For as little as $5 each month, you’ll receive the print magazine along with our e-newsletters, action alerts, and invitations to Ms. Studios events and podcasts. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.
