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Inspiring Stories and Quotes
Stories of Women Speaking Out
Olivia Rodrigo
The singer and actress' fame exploded after releasing her hit single "Drivers License" in early 2021. Although her fanbase is mainly teens, Rodrigo reaches many other age groups through her social media accounts. She was able to use her massive social media following for good when she visited the White House in July of 2021. During her visit, she promoted the importance of young people getting vaccinated. Rodrigo was able to use her platform to speak out about something that is important to her and she became a role model for other girls by speaking out.
Mariska Hargitay
The actress is best known for her role as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. This role inspired her to start the Joyful Heart Foundation, which aims to transform responses to sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Her foundation has raised millions of dollars for victims and helped thousands of people. Hargitay was able to use her popularity to promote her foundation and raise awareness about causes important to her.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Referred to as the “Notorious RBG,” Ginsburg was the second female U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Known during her later time on the Court for her sometimes scathing dissents, she also was a lifetime advocate for gender equality – decades before her time on the Court. She co-founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project and co-wrote the brief in Reed v. Reed, which resulted in the Supreme Court recognizing gender equality under the Equal Protection Clause for the first time in the nation’s history. She used her voice consistently throughout her lifetime to fight for equality. One of her most famous quotes is “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” To learn more about Justice Ginsburg and how she used her voice to advocate for change, check out Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life, by Jane Sherron de Hart and Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union, by Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Amanda L. Tyler
Taylor Swift
The signer-songwriter has been in the public eye since releasing her debut album in 2006. Her music has helped her to generate millions of fans. In 2019, she used her popularity to obtain signatures on her petition for Congress to pass the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. By using her platform, Swift received half a million signatures on her petition and spoke out for a law that she believes in.
Pauli Murray
The activist, lawyer and author was a pioneer in the civil rights and women's rights movements. Murray was the first black person to obtain a JSD, the most advanced law degree a law school offers. Thurgood Marshall, a fellow civil rights activist, called her book, States' Laws on Race and Color, the "bible" for the civil rights movement. Additionally, RBG named Murray as a co-author on a brief for the Reed v. Reed case. Murray used her voice to further movements for civil rights and women's rights, and without her speaking out, we may not be where we are today.
Mila Kunis
The actress came into the spotlight in 1998 when she booked a role in That '70s Show. Since then she has gained popularity and appeared in popular shows and movies such as Family Guy and Black Swan. In light of the events in Ukraine, Kunis has been using her popularity to speak out about the crisis. Additionally, she created and promoted a GoFundMe page for her fans to donate money to Ukraine. Because of this, she was able to raise over $35 million for people in Ukraine.
Malala
The activist was born in Pakistan and attended school there until 2008. In 2008, the Taliban took over her town in Pakistan and banned girls from receiving an education. Despite this, in 2012, Malala started to speak out on behalf of girls that were not allowed to receive an education. Because of this, she was shot while on the school bus on the way home from school. She did not let this hold her back and she continued to speak out on behalf of girls and created the Malala Fund. Malala earned the Noble Peace Prize in 2014 and has continued to be an activist for educating girls.