Feminism is not too difficult to understand, and yet everywhere I go I find that people are still unwilling to learn about the notion. Feminism is simple- it is a belief in the equality of the sexes. And yet, women are constantly being judged and harassed for wanting equal rights. Thanks to these powerful and outspoken women, I have faith that every day more and more people are hopping on the feminism bandwagon.

(I mean, seriously, if you think women are equal to men, you’re a feminist. Stop acting like it’s some radical movement.)

1. Kristen Gillibrand

This woman is my idol. Seriously, I love her. She started as a granddaughter of an empowered female politician and worked her way up to being a state senator, and a national leader. In the office, she worked to bring health care to 9/11 veterans and to bring healthy food programs to schools. For women, she has worked to defeat sexual assault in the military and on college campuses and has worked to remove the negative stigma that women in Congress face. On a personal note, I can say that her book "Off the Sidelines" is a great read for anyone, but especially young women looking to go into male-dominated professions, especially politics. Her words are informative, and her drive is inspirational.

Favorite Quote: "There are women doing amazing things and you should be one of them."

(Bonus favorite quote because I love her: “"Supporting women is not just good for women. It's good for everybody." )

2. Shonda Rhimes

If you don’t who Shonda is, then you should. She is arguably the most powerful woman on television right now. Shonda is the first woman to ever take up all three slots of nighttime television on one night (currently on ABC). She is most famous for writing and producing "Grey’s Anatomy," "Scandal," and "How to Get Away with Murder;" shows that are famous for featuring empowering women of all ages, races, and sizes. Her work has led her to receive a number of awards, including the 'PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Television'.

Favorite Quote: "I'm a black woman every day, and I'm not confused about that. I'm not worried about that. I don't need to have a discussion with you about how I feel as a black woman because I don't feel disempowered as a black woman."

3. Laverne Cox

In the last couple of years, Laverne Cox has emerged as a television icon, a feminist icon, and a face for the transgender community. For many Americans, Laverne is the only trans person they have ever seen on television, and is breaking ground for trans-America through her role in "Orange is the New Black." As she has come into the spotlight, she has argued for gender rights across America, all while looking gorgeous (fighting traditional beauty stereotypes) and killing it in her acting roles.

Favorite Quote: "We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love. That’s okay."

4. Gloria Steinem

Steinem is arguably one of the most famous modern political activists/feminists. Beginning her activist career as early as the sixties, she has since co-founded and written for New York Magazine, co-founded the Women’s Media Center, co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus, co-founded the feminist magazine Ms. Magazine, written multiple books, and been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She has spent her lifetime arguing for women’s rights in the workplace, birth rights, and women’s education.

Favorite Quote: "We've begun to raise daughters more like sons ... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters."

5. Serena Williams

Those of you in the sports world have definitely heard of this woman. Serena Williams, along with her sister Venus Williams, has taken the world by storm, quickly becoming the best female tennis player in the world. Recently her work for feminism has brought her to the spotlight, as she has argued against the treatment of women in the spotlight. After being ostracized for having big thighs, and having her cover photos compared to those of typical cover models, she spoke out, explaining that women come from all shapes and sizes, and should not be expected to look a certain way.

Favorite Quote: “You can be whatever size you are, and you can be beautiful both inside and out. We're always told what's beautiful and what's not, and that's not right.”

6. Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer, or as I like to call her, ‘America’s Sweetheart’, has come into the spotlight over the last couple years. A New York native and comedian, she wrote and produced her own tv show, and then her own movie, and won a number of awards for each. Along with being a role model for women in comedy, and a role model for plus size women, she has also worked with cousin Chuck Schumer (NYS Senator) to discuss the importance of gun restrictions. Through her TV show and her interviews, Amy has fought Hollywood’s perceptions of women, and broken television boundaries by discussing sex, virginity, weight, age, and factors that still seem ‘taboo’ when discussed in the open by women.

Favorite Quote: “I am a woman with thoughts and questions and shit to say.”

7. Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling began as a young actress and writer, paying her dues in New York City. After getting hired to write for "The Office," she was given the opportunity to write and star in her own TV show. Like Amy, she has broken ground for women in comedy, and also for women of color in America. She has worked to break Indian stereotypes in the media, and also like Amy, has made bold statements regarding women in Hollywood. Her show "The Mindy Project" depicts a woman working in the top of her field, despite having to compete with men, who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Favorite Quote: "It’s so weird being my own role model, you know? I recommend it."

8. Malala Yousafzai

Either you’ve heard of Malala, or you live off the grid. As a young girl, she was shot by the Taliban and since has used that moment to rise from the ashes. She is a teenage girl, a Pakistani activist, a women’s rights advocate, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Arguably the youngest, internationally-renowned female politician, this girl has enacted change around the world. Her greatest accomplishments include the ‘Malala Petition’ which argues for childhood education, a follow up ‘Malala Fund’ which goes to childhood education, and speaking in front of the United Nations about women’s rights and women’s education.

Favorite Quote: “I raise up my voice not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”

9. Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is more commonly known for her poems and prose than her civil rights activism. However, writing award-winnings texts like "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," earned her the BET Literary Arts Award, Quill Award for Poetry, Langston Hughes Medal, and the NAACP Outstanding Literary Work Award. She has spoken and written about civil rights, and her actions have led her to be awarded a number of medals and titles including the Presidential Medal of Honor. Her feminist achievements come from her focus specifically on the women of color in America and their access to rights like health care and education.

Favorite Quote: "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."

10. Amy Poehler

Like many millennial women, I often wonder, “where would my life be without Amy Poehler?” A Nimodern feminist, actress, and comedy writer, Amy has been an inspiration for girls across America. Her character Leslie Knope is an example of a daring feminist and a great way for women to learn how to be one themselves. She has never been afraid to speak out against the way society treats women, whether it be in terms of education, jobs, or beauty standards. She and Leslie are both relentless liberals, always willing to stand for themselves and those they care about. Her charity work includes supporting a number of causes including Autism awareness and LGBT rights.

Favorite Quote: “I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody's passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn't mind leading.”

11. Tina Fey

You’re problem used to hearing ‘Tina and Amy’ rather than either one exclusively. Like Amy, Tina is a bold and talented writer, actress, and feminist. Her character Liz Lemon aimed to create new standards for women, or rather eliminate standards already in place- suggesting that women can hold high-level jobs, and women can eat as much as they want, and women don’t need relationships to be fulfilled. She is known for not holding back; she speaks her mind, however, bold or brash it may be. She is a confident woman who is constantly encouraging girls to be who they want to be, not who they are expected to be. She is also an advocate for GLAAD and children’s education.

Favorite Quote: “If you retain nothing else, always remember the most important rule of beauty, which is: who cares?”

12. Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Last is the queen. Seriously, if you’ve never heard of her, you need to drop all of your commitments and look her up. Ruth Bader Ginsberg (RBG) went to Columbia University Law, then worked for the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project. Bill Clinton nominated her for the Supreme Court and since then she has written decisions for landmark cases. They include US v Virginia which overruled the Virginia Military Academy’s policy against admitting women; and her dissent in Burwell v Hobby Lobby which allowed companies to refuse to include birth control in their healthcare plans on the basis of religious views. RBG may be one of the best icons, (if not THE best) for feminism. Throughout her career she has stressed the importance of intersectional feminism (which supports the rights of women of all races, social classes, sexual orientations, and trans-women), she has constantly discussed the need for more women in the workplace and the government, and aims to rid our language of words that degrade women, such as the ever-so-popular ‘bitch’. Her notoriety has gained her an international following, which brought the famous t-shirt line “Notorious RBG”.

Favorite Quote: “When I’m sometimes asked 'when will there be enough women on the supreme court?' And I say when there are nine, people are shocked. But there’d been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.”

(Fun Fact: I attended an event in which RBG was the featured speaker, and she said that the Virginia Military Academy is in her most memorable case that she has decided.)

So, I present you with these twelve amazing, inspiring women. They break the boundaries of gender roles in American society, they reveal gender bias in our culture, and they actively fight to end it. I admire them, and hope to one day be like them- and you all should too.