International Women’s Day 2023
Though supposedly a day for celebrating women, the very proposition makes me sigh. Every day should be International Women’s Day!
That said, there are some powerhouse women I know and follow, whose ability to shine a light on injustice and whose unwavering commitment to supporting women leaves me awestruck.
They are:
Dr Jess Taylor: Dr Jess encounters serious backlash on Twitter for speaking out against the oppression of women and her dogged determination to speak truth to power, feeds my soul. Check out her Misogyny Temperature Check Tool below:
Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu: a powerful activist and lawyer, Dr Shola has been called “one of the most toxic pundits there is” by Piers Morgan - a badge she wears with pride! Her book This Is Why I Resist propelled her to appear on TV following the murder of George Floyd, where she has been highlighting inequality ever since.
Cindy Gallop: Controversial MakeLoveNotPorn founder and CEO Cindy has been ruffling feathers as the voice objecting to the patriarchal structure of the advertising industry and coined the term “manel” (meaning all white, male panels at events). Her company is bringing real-life sex into the public domain to democratise porn and give people and sex workers power over their bodies. MLNP is the loving antidote to toxic masculinity.
Caroline Criado Perez: Her book “Invisible Women” floored me when I read it in 2020, and I have been buying copies for friends ever since! Showing the gender data gaps which exist in the modern world we live in and pointing out the dangerous consequences is a shortcut to unpopularity in our society but Caroline shows no sign of abating (thankfully!). From PPE to seatbelts; toxicity safety tests to invisible labour; the numerous ways in which women are ignored in society beggars belief!
Jennifer Stojkovic: The Vegan Women’s Summit is Jenny’s platform created to help vegan women connect and support one another in striving for a more sustainable and just food system. Her amplification of the issues that exist in the food system and critique of the government and industrial levers responsible, whilst promoting and uplifting women-owned businesses is 2nd to none.
Emilia Leese: I am quite unapologetic when it comes to promoting the work of this brilliant woman. Whenever I face a thorny topic, hers is the opinion I seek. If you haven’t read her book, Think Like a Vegan yet - where have you been?! In it, she describes the intersectionality of veganism and how by living with vegan values, you will actively prevent the exploitation of humans or animals on your behalf. Not to mention the link between dairy and feminism. If you consider yourself a feminist but still eat dairy and eggs, this is a must-read!
Sonalie Figueras: Green Queen in both name and nature, Sonalie is the force behind the platform of the same name and the founder of the anti-plastic site: sourcegreenpackaging.com which is solving the packaging conundrum equation for eco-entrepreneurs worldwide. Sonalie devotes so much of her time to supporting female founders and regularly posts articles highlighting their brilliant work.
Of course, none of this is paid-for promotion. More a reflection of my genuine love and admiration for these brilliant, talented women using their life force for good. You can find them on social media platforms to discover their additional podcasts, books, newsletters, products and services. I highly recommend that you do!
And huge love to those other incredible women I know who are also fighting this good fight. Together, we are stronger!