Who was the very first feminist to inspire you?

Question

.Why? Anti-fems are welcome if they can offer objective statements that inspire positive change.

Answer 1

Alice Walker was the first, followed by Lisa Jervis and Andi Zeisler, the founders of ***** magazine.

Answer 2

it wasnt so much a person as it was a website. lol

feministsforlife.org

To be honest i really had no idea about feminism. But i came across this website from priestsforlife.org.

reading about women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and such made me very curious.

I still believe in the ideals of these fine women.

Listen i really hate labels...but sometimes to define oneself it has to be done.

Thing is though. I still believe in some of the ideals of feminism. Id be lying if i said i did not...

But I also believe in some ideals of non feminism,

Im neither 100 percent in either category.

Answer 3

Gloria Steinhem because she revealed the true nature of feminism - an evil, deceitful, hateful creed.

Gloria preached independence for women, until she herself hit the aging years. For decades she preached that men were unnecessary. At 55 years old, she found a rich man who had cancer and magically fell in love. Upon his death, she got his cash.

Gloria is the poster child for feminism: Lie, complain, cheat, and be sexist your entire life, then marry some nice idiot who will die soon and will his money to you.

Feminism is a lie.

Answer 4

Valerie Solanas.

Answer 5

Nawaal El Saadawi. She wrote the first book I read whom identified as a feminist, and gave me a taste of feminist writers/feminism etc. But then I saw her in an interview, and she was a complete cow to her assistant. Needless to say though, hundreds of other strong feminists continued (and continue) to inspire me :)

Why Nawaal El Saadawi? Because somehow with all the adversity involved with being a strong women in a very male dominated and quite frankly, misogynist culture, she still somehow managed to give thousands and thousands of women hope and clarity. She never gave up - not even while she was imprisoned.

ETA - Don't get me wrong Thing!! Her theory in gender politics is brilliant, and she as a woman and writer, literally changed my life. While her courage and insight is exemplary, her treatment of this assistant was just wrong - she hit her on camera, for stuffing up an appointment!! I could've cried seeing that :( but that doesn't take away all the good she's done for so many women.

I expect the anti-fems will salivate whilst reading this edit, because SHOCK HORROR, a woman hit someone, and this is only PROOF to small minded idiots that ALL women are like this. I don't expect they'll perceive this discussion as one which involves critical thought and feminism, because MY GOD, if the anti's can milk this, they will!

I have to say, it's sooo good to be having this discussion! THIS is what G&WS is SUPPOSED to be about!

Answer 6

Madonna

Now i also love

Germaine Greer

Beth Ditto

Courtney Love

My Boyfriend ( hes quite the feminist!)

Those are just a few that i love also

Answer 7

EDIT 2: Pookie, Nawal el Sadaawi is one of my heroines. She is a such a brave and intelligent woman.

~*~*~*~

EDIT: catholicmistake, I LOVED Erma Bombeck ... she was great :-) Lots of fun and aloving, gentle nature, too. Very wise.

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My grandmother. She turns 100 in October and still insists on being treated with respect.

Her life made her political, and gave her love, respect and hundreds of friends willing to travel from all around the world for a huge knees-up to celebrate her centenary.

She started out as a very shy, timid girl who was taken out of school to learn to be a housewife, and loved being at home caring for her parents and siblings, and later for her husband and family.

So when she was left with children to raise and a system that gave her less than half a man's wage for the exact same job, she fought back as hard as she could.

She has always wanted the best for all her family, and pushed all of us to achieve as much as we can.

A truly inspiring woman, and a great human being.

Cheers :-)

Answer 8

madonna

Answer 9

It was a friend of mine who inadvertently reminded me that I was a feminist. I had sort of forgotten for the past couple of years before that.

Answer 10

gloria steinem

Answer 11

Probably Ayn Rand.  I read "Atlas Shrugged" when I was in high school, and it changed my life in many ways, but I was also thrilled to see Dagny Taggart- a strong business woman who inspired me . . . she was the first real "heroine" I'd ever seen.

Answer 12

Erma Bombeck. Author. (Family- The Ties That Bind- And Gag!) (Motherhood- The Second Oldest Profession) (If You Look Like Your Passport Photo It's Time To Go Home) (The Grass Is Always Greener Over The Septic Tank) (If Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries, What Am I Doing In The Pits?) (I Want To Grow Hair, I Want To Grow Up, I Want To Go To Boise) (Aunt Erma's Cope Book)

She was a SAHM and decided to start writing, and he husband supported her every step of the way. She became very, very well known and was very much supportive of Women's Lib, even if some of it shocked her. ("My God! I can see that girls navel!")

She was hilarious and very much missed.  

Answer 13

Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch shook many of my preconceptions and beliefs.  Although I did not take all of the assertions in the book on board it made me and many of the women of my generation question many aspects of women in society at the time.

It made feminism a topic of conversation in society. In the early 1970s, a woman's role in society was still set by male expectations. While women were expected to work and be educated, it was considered more important that they marry and become housewives.

The book challenged a woman's traditional role in society, and provided an important framework for the feminist movement of the 1970s.

The Female Eunuch called on women to reject their traditional roles in the home, and explore ways to break out of the mould that society had imposed on them. It also encouraged women to question the power of traditional authority figures – such as doctors, psychiatrists, priests and the police – who at the time were not used to being questioned, and to explore their own sexuality.  

The Female Eunuch certainly did push the Women's Liberation Movement forward.

Answer 14

Joan of arc. Not really a feminist but the way I grew up (both parents working, both parents cooking and stuff) I guess it enabled me to see her as a good example of bravery without gender sterotypes.

Answer 15

Me!  I had no choice.