NoBrasWereHarmed

Dr. M. Francyne Huckaby is a Professor at Texas Christian University in the College of Education. She focuses on Curriculum Studies within the graduate programs, and occasionally works with undergraduate students in the Early Childhood Education program.Huckaby is a notable feminist, with works in Womanish Ways: Renderings at the Intersection of Race, Gender and Curriculum Theorizing (2016) and lists one of her areas of research as Feminism and Research. Lucky for the creators of @nobraswereharmed, we have had the fortunate opportunity to be in a class led by Dr. Huckaby at Texas Christian University. She has worked with us all semester to transform our ideas on what feminist looks like in both a historical and modern world, and teach us about how intersectionality and oppression connect heavily to feminism.

bell hooks is an acclaimed writer, professor, and feminist activist. The name “bell hooks” is taken from her maternal great-grandmother, and she uses the lowercase letters in her name as a creative choice for her work. Her writings focus on race, gender, and how to work against the systems of oppression present in our society. hooks is very active in the feminist realm, constantly striving for the addition of a new and inclusive form of feminism. Additionally, she works tirelessly to provide a deeper view of what feminism is and how all can be involved, including men. She has authors several books including Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, and All About Love: New Visions, all focusing on intersedtionary between sex and race.Link to learn more: http://www.bellhooksinstitute.com/welcome

Like many women, Taylor Swift’s path to feminism was stifled by public opinions and patriarchal expectations. Her involvement in the male dominated music industry silenced her for many years until enough was enough. Swift is known for her haunting lyricism and her advocacy for women’s rights, black rights, and her allyship with LGBTQIA+ equality. Swift said, “To me, feminism is probably the most important movement that you could embrace, because it’s just basically another word for equality”.In addition to advocating for equal rights to numerous publications, Swift wrote a feminist anthem titled, The Man, where she uses video and lyrics to address her struggles in not only the music industry, but in the patriarchal society we all face. She famously writes, “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man” and “If I was a man, then I’d be the man”. This song highlights the constraints of gender roles and attends to double standards across the boards. Swift’s newfound feminism is proof that it is never too late to speak to what is right.Link to ‘The Man’ music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqAJLh9wuZ0

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She is best known for advocating for the education of women in her hometown where the Pakistani Taliban banned girls from school. In 2012, Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Pakistani Taliban member in retaliation for her activism. After recovering, she co-founded the Malala Fund and co-authored the book I Am Malala. Even though she has fought for women’s and children’s rights, Yousafzai did not describe herself as a feminist until she heard Emma Watson’s speech about the HeForShe campaign in 2015. In a 2013 speech, Malala said “They do not want women to get an education, because then women would become more powerful.” When using one’s own voice as a platform to allow others to tell their stories, the female voice is stronger.

Sonya Renee Taylor is a poet, activist, feminist, and transformational leader. Most known for her radical self-love book, The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love, Sonya created a body positivity movement that now reaches over 1 million people per month in over 140 countries. Sonya’s work in poetry, art, and body positivity extends into partnerships for social change. As a result of her courageous leadership, Sonya was named Planned Parenthoods 99 Dream Keepers in 2015 and given the Planned Parenthood Generation Action 2015 Outstanding Partner award. In addition, Bustle Magazine named her one of the 12 Women Who Paved the Way for Body Positivity. Sonya’s activism is prevalent in many more organizations, yet her online community of The Body is Not an Apology (TBINAA) contributes to her success by providing support, resources, and a platform for intersectional social justice to flourish. https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/work

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1993 until her death in 2020. Ginsburg spent most of her career advocating for gender equality and women’s rights. In 1972, she co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and participated in many gender discrimination cases. Ginsburg’s legal victories made significant advances for women under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, and discouraged legislation where women and men were treated differently under the law. Ginsburg received attention in the media for her passionate arguments and liberal views of the law, embracing her nickname “The Notorious R.B.G.”

Toni Morrison (1931-2019) was a renowned Black author, poet, activist, and college professor. Morrison’s humble beginnings in rural Ohio and her strong connection with her working class family led her to a life of racial and gender activism. Although never adopting the label herself, Morrison’s works are often read and analyzed through Feminist and Womanist (Black Feminism/Feminist of Color) lenses. Morrison made history when she became the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1993) for her novels and literary criticism.Although Morrison was prolific in her writing, her most notable works include: The Bluest Eye (1970), Song of Solomon (1977), Beloved (1987), Playing in the Dark: Literary Criticism (2007), and her play Desdemona (2011).

Joy Harjo is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and was named the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States in 2019. Harjo draws on her relation and connection to her Creek community to frame and guide her poetry and storytelling by incorporating Native American spirituality, symbols, and traditions in her work. Harjo uses her platform as a poet, author, and artist to discuss feminist issues such as domestic abuse, the employment and opportunity gap women face, and discrimination of Native American women in white-feminist spaces and conversation. Harjo’s notable works include: A Map to the Next World (2000), her memoir Crazy Brave (2012), and An American Sunrise (2019).

Michelle Obama is best known for her roles as an author, attorney, and the First Lady of the United States (2009-2017). Earning degrees from both Princeton University and Harvard School of Law, Michelle is one of the most educated First Lady’s in United States history. Though her life, Michelle has become an active feminist, advocating for equality in education specifically. In 2015 and 2017 respectively, she announced two new initiatives, Let Girls Learn and Girls Opportunity Alliance, both of which advocate for equality and empowerment through education for girls across the world and of all ages. Link to her speech on International Women’s Day, 2016:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIN1F0TyadM

Brené Brown is a researcher, storyteller, and local Texan. Brown works as a research professor at the University of Houston and is well-known around the world for her groundbreaking research in shame and vulnerability. Brown is the author of five #1 New York Times Best Sellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Dare to Lead. Brown recently created the podcast, Unlocking Us, where she interviews theorists, political figures, feminists and more to foster connection and the spread of knowledge amidst a global pandemic. Brené’s motto is “Embrace the suck” and to always “Choose courage over comfort”. Her work on shame and vulnerability help women and men unlock their wholehearted selves and heal from the pains of oppression and suffering. Brown is a self-proclaimed feminist and her work is influential to all who yearn to grow and make the world a better place.