Feminism's Changing of the Guard

F-bombs getting dropped left and right. While this one is suitable for television, many people still can’t stand the sound of it: Feminism is experiencing a changing of the guard. It scares the conservative right and fuels the fires of antifeminists like Donald Trump. While it is defined as the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men, some still think it’s all about man-hating. That couldn’t be further from the truth. These modern day feminists are comprised of teenagers who believe in themselves and the future of young women so much, they are willing to not only to speak up about it but, in one case, to also put themselves in harm’s way for it. Or the men that have not only created more dimensional roles for women, but have also taken to social media to protest the simple rights that men have that women are still fighting for.

Emma Watson

You might remember Emma Watson as the adorable Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, but she's all grown up now. The English actress has proven that in her notable work as the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, launching the HeForShe campaign in a speech in New York City, which calls men to advocate for gender equality. As a woman who believes in the power of education, she obtained a Bachelors degree from Brown University while filming the wizardry film series. She has also promoted education for girls by visiting various countries, such as Bangladesh and Zambia. In efforts to make feminism a more acceptable word, she once said, “It’s not the word that is important. It’s the idea and ambition behind it.”

Amandla Stenberg

Though Amandla has been building her career since she was four-years-old, the biracial actress rose to prominence following her role as Rue in The Hunger Games. She was also featured in Columbiana, the action-packed movie with Zoe Saldana, portraying the young Cataleya. Like most millennials, she is active on social media, speaking out against cultural appropriation as well as childhood hunger by working with the No Kid Hungry organization. Feminism is another topic the sixteen-year-old actress hasn’t shied away from. In an interview with Dazed and Confused, Stenberg said, “I want to remove the stigma around the word ‘feminist,’ but also feel integrated into a community that’s larger than a group of like-minded feminist bloggers.”

Zendaya

The talented actress, dancer, singer, and model is known for speaking her mind. Earlier this year, Zendaya refused to stay silent when E! host Giuliana Rancic made a comment about her, stating she must have smelled of “patchouli” and “weed” because she wore faux locks to the Oscars. The ninteen-year-old took to Instagram, explaining the effects of stereotypical comments, causing Rancic to retract her comments and issue a public apology. Recently, she also spoke out against an anti-woman Twitter account that bashed Shannon, a beauty vlogger, for not always wearing makeup. The tweet said, “This is why our first date is running a mile around the track to see if you sweat the makeup off,” under a before and after picture of the YouTuber. Zendaya responded “That awkward moment when this tweet is irrelevant cause she’s slaying both ways #wannaborrowmyglasses.” Zendaya’s acting work includes Shake it Up, Black-ish, andK.C. Undercover. She also starred on Dancing with the Stars as the youngest contestant on the show when she was 16 years old. She was the runner-up.

Malala Yousafzai

Malala may have just turned 18 years old, but she is proof that anybody can change the world. When her town in Swat Valley, Pakistan was overrun by Taliban, she decided to take action. She became a blogger for BBC, giving a unique experience about everyday life in the war-torn country. She spoke out especially about education and how the Taliban was making it difficult for girls to attend school. In her blog posts, she even talked about how the Taliban was going so far as to burn nearby schools to get their point across. Because of her involvement, she was directly targeted by the Taliban, which resulted in her getting shot in the forehead in 2012. Her shooting sparked an international discussion entitled “I Am Malala,” the same name as the national bestseller that was published a year after her shooting. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been reported saying, “I believe in equality. And I believe there is no difference between a man and a woman. I even believe that a woman is more powerful them men.”

Beyoncé

Ever since she was catapulted into the spotlight as a member of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé has used her voice to uplift and empower women. As a solo artist, she honed in and made that a part of her rise to stardom. In addition to featuring an all women band for her sophomore album “BDay,” she also recorded the ultimate girl-power song “Run the World (Girls)" in 2011. In 2014, when she accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Awards, she performed with the word “Feminist” proudly behind her. “I’ve always considered myself a feminist, although I was afraid of what that word meant because people put so much on it,” said the thirty-four-year-old songstress in an interview with CNN. “When honestly, it’s very simple. It’s just a person that believes in equality for men and women. Men and women balance each other out and we have to get to a point where we are comfortable with appreciating each other.”

Matt McGorry

If you are unfamiliar with the name Matt McGorry, don’t worry: you'll be seeing a lot of him in this season's television lineup. In addition to his role as John Bennet in the Netflix Original Series Orange Is the New Black, he is also a staple character in ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder and indie drama How He Fell in Love. This twenty-nine-year-old New York native is also using his celebrity status to speak about important issues concerning women. During the summer, he shed light on double standards following the removal of nip pictures Chrissy Teigen and Miley Cyrus posted on Instagram. In support of the #FreeTheNipple movement, he posted a picture of himself shirtless covering his nipples with those of Chrissy Teigen and Miley Cyrus. “You might be thinking to yourself, there are way more important issues out there than woman being able to expose their bumpy buttons whenever men can,” he wrote. “But it’s not just about getting an even tan; it’s one piece of the puzzle of creating deep change in the way our society objectifies women and creates these different standards for men and women (and other genders).”

Tom Hardy

When a reporter asked if Tom Hardy ever wondered why there were so many women in the Mad Max script, he gave the best response possible: “Not for one minute,” said the English actor. “That’s kind of obvious.” Hardy’s simple response was indicative of his ideals towards gender equality, something he has been very open about. He’s even expressed growing up with his mom, a dress maker, and having to serve as her model while she pinned the dress together. He’s been known for saying, “I think that writing for women and films for women, there could be much better material out there and could be advanced a little more, especially today, you know.” Hardy is best known for his roles in Inception, Lawless, and Locke. He also portrayed the super villain Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.

John Legend

John Legend might be known for his sultry voice and piano playing, but he is also an advocate of women’s equality. The nine-time Grammy Award winner has consistently stood up for women even when some have taken issues with his outspoken wife, Chrissy Teigen. He’s used his talents for good, performing at the 2013 Chime for Change concert, helping the organization that works to improve the well-being of women around the world. Around that same time he said, “All men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights, the world will be a better place.” He maintained, “We are better off when women are empowered–it leads to a better society.”

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt shocked the world when he told Ellen DeGeneres that he identified as a feminist. He later went on to record a YouTube video entitled “RE: Feminism,” which explains that interview and includes research about others’ views about the word. It was his effort to create more of a dialogue about feminism, and it received thousands of likes. In the video, he says, “What feminism means to me is that you don’t let your gender define who you are–you can be who you want to be, whether you’re a man, a woman, a boy, a girl, whatever.” He credits his mom for assisting the development of his feminist ideals because she was an active participant in the Second Wave Feminism of the sixties and seventies. Gordon-Levitt, an actor and filmmaker, is best known for his role in Inception and most recently, Don Jon.

Joss Whedon

It wasn’t a coincidence that Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wrote a script about a little blonde woman who kicks super demon tail on the show. He wanted to subvert the image that when confronted with danger, that girl would be harmed, easily becoming a victim. Whedon made the girl, played by Sarah Michelle Geller, the hero, transforming what the world knew about the fight between good and evil. “Equality is not a concept. It’s not something we should be striving for. It’s a necessity,” said the screen writer and director. “Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women, and the misogyny that is in every culture is not a true part of the human condition.” He also wrote and directed The Avengers and its sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron.