We’re in the midst of a lot of end-of-year listicles and Best-of-2014 summaries, some of which are really boring. But I found this one interesting: the Top Celebrity Feminists of 2014. The list was compiled by the Ms. Foundation and Cosmopolitan Magazine, and it was done by online poll. So… I’m actually shocked that Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch weren’t on the top of the list, considering the online presence of the dragonflies and Cumberbitches. But you know who else has a big online presence? Emma Watson’s fans. Thus, Emma was named the top celebrity feminist of 2014, mostly for her UN speech in support of the UN HeForShe campaign, which went viral several months ago. You can see the list of top celebrity feminists here.
Emma Watson was voted the top feminist of 2014 in a Ms. Foundation for Women online poll, conducted in partnership with Cosmopolitan.com, and it’s a well-deserved win. In 2014, the 24-year-old actress gave a rousing speech about gender equality to the United Nations, telling men, “Gender equality is your issue too.” In her role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador, she also helped launch the “He for She” campaign to work with men in ending violence against women. Watson’s speech also made Cosmopolitan.com’s list of the 2014 best moments for women.
“I want men to take up this mantle,” Watson said in her speech, “so their daughters, sisters, and mothers can be free from prejudice, but also so that their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human too — reclaim those parts of themselves they abandoned and in doing so be a more true and complete version of themselves.”
Here are the top 10 2014 feminists, according to Ms. Foundation voters:
Emma Watson
Laverne Cox
Rachel Maddow
Beyoncé
Cher
Amy Poehler
Tina Fey
Meryl Streep
Mindy Kaling
Ann Curry“We celebrate all feminists every day, but today we’re giving a hat tip to celebrities who are helping to promote women’s equality,” Ms. Foundation President and CEO Teresa Younger said in a statement. “Every celebrity on the list has either embraced the term ‘feminist,’ spoken out for women’s equal rights, or battled against sexist oppression.”
You know what? I don’t have a problem with this list at all. And I kind of like that we’re now compiling lists of feminists, you know? Emma’s speech went viral and she really did change the pop culture conversation about feminism. Laverne Cox is amazing and a committed activist for LGBT causes. Rachel Maddow is my girl. Beyonce has to be included or The Hive will burn the place down. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are incredible women. Mindy Kaling is awesome. I enjoyed this list!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
No Angie Jolie? Shocker!
I don’t think she needs to be on every list.
she can just continue building schools, clinics and changing laws to give women, children and men some safety and support during war.
not bad..
**************
but huge congrats to the women on the list who are making differences in the lives of others.
This list is specific to 2014, right? Emma Watson has said lots of high profile, intelligent things about feminism *this year*. I don’t put anyone above Tina Fey for the all time record of ceiling shattering in the entertainment industry, but Emma speaks to a younger generation and I like that she gives them strong talking points about how positive feminism is for both genders.
I, on the other hand, have a problem with compiling lists of top feminists. If there is a number 1, then there is also a number 2, or number 50. This isn’t the point of feminism at all. Emma gave a wonderful speech, something the women who paved the path for us have done since the Suffragette Movement if not before then. Maybe there is a celebrity who is doing a lot more to improve women’s lives that we don’t even know of. Shakira is a great example of a feminist, yet it’s never stated.
Yeah, I’m with you. Yet another thing to compete over? so not the point. Plus I’d love to have some insight into the demographics of that voter pool. Hrm.
And in right over here with you.
At a time when so many people, young and old, are struggling with understanding feminism and what we really mean when we think of it (yesterday had someone told me I was supporting the patriarchy by wearing makeup and can’t possibly really enjoy wearing it with no input from a man) I don’t really like the popularity contest list of it.
Some of the women on this list resonate with me, many don’t and that includes Emma. Just…yeah.
Agreed.
Same here.
This is a thing?
What in God’s name are the criteria for being deemed “best celebrity feminist?!” Did Emma Watson and Laverne Cox have to complete an obstacle course in which she had to dodge catcalls or something? One of the central tenants of feminism is that women are NOT constantly in competition, so ranking people as to who’s the best feminist is at best absurd. Complete and utter fail, Ms. Foundation, fail fail fail fail fail.
(That being said, wonder how Lena Dunham feels in not being on this list.)
They voted.
Ha, Lena Dunham is going to be piiiiiiiissed.
This list is so, so stupid. Women can’t do anything without it being a competition to the media. Everyone at Cosmopolitan can go f-ck themselves.
This is a good point I had not considered. It would be nice if they had recognized a group of celebrities (male and female) who were positive in the Feminist Movement rather than saying “yes, but SHE is the best feminist.” Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?
I guess I will give stock to their “lists” when they put Betty Friedan on their cover.
ETA – I did not see your comment @bonsai mountain when I wrote this. Yes to all you said as well.
Right?
Like are we now going to have female celebs doing things they don’t believe in so they can ‘win’ the feminist awards too? Why am I not surprised Cosmo came up with this nonsense?
I don’t imagine most people care enough to do anything they wouldn’t anyway.
It is just a silly little magazine list.
Did they have to rank them though? Couldn’t they have just highlighted celebrities who were promoting gender equality? And no men? Kinda implies it’s women’s job to educate people about feminist issues…
I agree that men should have been included. Chris Rock probably should have been on this list.
Agree. Why does it have to be a competition? Best Feminist? Really? And also agree there are men who should be included in a discussion of raising awareness. Joseph Gordon Levitt for example.
EVERYTHING has to be a competition for women, even feminism. It’s disgusting and sad.
That being said, Emma Watson said nothing new or revolutionary in her feminism speech. She merely made it more palatable for the general masses, especially men. I don’t see what’s so inspiring about that.
I think that was the point, there´s so many people that really don´t get what feminism is, and confuse it with man hating or picture it like angry women acting like men. She just explained the basic notion of feminism but I think that is what was needed at the moment, because so many people just don´t know that basic notion.
TOP TEN MOST FEMINIST THAT FEMINISTED THIS YEAR WHILST BEING FEMININE IN 2014
lmao i’m dead.
Lol Princess QQ Buns
Hahaha. Love this.
So effing stupid. We must have a #1 Feminist now? Cosmo is more irrelevant that ever.
Sorry but the very title of the campaign, He for She, comes across like a new ad or slogan for a perfume or fashion collection.
I just can’t take it seriously and it seems that the UN is on a mission to recruit celebrities for all these strategic campaigns. The celebrities are like telemarketers, except more glamorous and well spoken.
I don’t see how a female celebrity that earns millions is more of a feminist than a woman who works three jobs to raise her children, and scrape by. I think the latter deserves more of an award than the likes of Watson, who get up an read what everyone would like to hear and still ‘manage’ to fit in their 7 or 10 days promotions for fashion brands, while getting paid hundreds of thousands to advertise dresses, or be paid to sit in the front row of fashion parades (yes, they are paid to sit there).
This is how the UN constantly insults the intelligence of ordinary women and they get away with it. Why? Because they use celebrities for testimonials. But in reality this organisation has failed so many times.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve seen this year. Would we ever see a ‘ranking’ of the top civil rights leaders or suffragettes?
And the fact it’s a top ten list???
Not a list of women who made an impact in feminism or a list of notable names (because frankly I can name 20 non-celebs doing a better job of spreading the word and making real impacts in feminism discussion. It’s not to say I don’t have respect for so many of the women on the list.
But Emma Watson being #1 is laughable.
So Like.. Was Coretta King ahead of Rosa Parks or Betty Shabazz or Assata Shakur??
TELL ME THE RANKINGS!!!! WHO IS THE MOST CIVIL RIGHTS BAE!?!?
I would have thought Russell Crowe a shoe-in.
Along with Gary Oldman.
And where is Lena Dunham?
Somewhat glad she isn’t mentioned. She sucks
Absolutely not. Just like with her acting, Emma is all PR and no real substance.
Where’s Laurie Penny?
Emma deserves any accolade, award, whatever, that there is to be had. She rocks in every way and brought more positive publicity to feminism than anyone else this year. Thank you Emma!
honestly, is it necessary to quibble over the “competition” thing… what this really does is put the word FEMINIST out there… so it doesn’t have to lurk in the shadows and be defined by men to scare women. It’s now out there and being talked about and that really makes me happy.
This!
I think it was a good choice, I like the whole list, but I understand why Emma came in first, her speech went viral, she started very well her work as ambassador for UN Women.