Laura Bates Inspirational Quotes (12)

We have to name a problem to solve a problem.

Feminism means believing that everybody should be treated equally regardless of their sex. Which happens to include the right to wear whatever you want, for your own reasons, without being forced or pressured into wearing what's considered societally required because of your sex.

Protesting against sexism doesn't mean saying that all men are actively sexist.

We can't create a shift in normalised attitudes and behaviours without everybody on board, so not being sexist isn't enough - get stuck in and start tackling sexism too.

The fact that traditionally 'female' jobs are paid less, that women end up working part-time because they're societally pressured into caring roles, and that having children has a negative impact on women's wages but a positive impact on men's, are all problems that should deeply concern us, not 'explanations' that can be happily accepted.

Feminism doesn't mean hating pink, make-up and high heels!

The idea that feminism is a 'battle of the sexes' about blaming all men and setting up a 'gender war' is a handy, controversial media hook. But it doesn't reflect reality.

Women of all ages in countries around the world are raped at all different times of day, in different circumstances, wearing all different kinds of clothing (including in countries where the majority of women wear completely covering clothing). The one thing they all have in common? They came into contact with a rapist.

In order to achieve that end goal of equality it is a very gendered oppression primarily affecting women that needs to be tackled.

If your compliments are making women feel uncomfortable, scared, anxious, annoyed or harassed, you're probably not doing them right.

A compliment makes someone feel good about themselves. A catcall is harassment.

In the 21st Century, I'd like to think women have the right to live lives free of both sexual violence and daily harassment, as well as any other form of inequality.