10 Badass Young Feminists Who Are Totally Changing the Game in 2016
Photographed by: COCO CAPITAN
Editor: Andrew Bevan
Fashion Editor: Celestine Cooney
Hair: Diego Da Silva for Oribe Haircare
Makeup: John McKay using Chanel Les Beiges
Nails: Emi Kudo using Dior Vernis
Set Design: Heath Mattioli at Frank Reps
Production: 3 Star Productions
1/13Meet the faces of young feminism, whose standout voices are as varied as they are strong.
Brooks Brother Red Fleece shirt, $78. brooksbrothers.com. AMO Denim, $328. Ron Herman. Tommy Hilfiger shirt, $260. Tommy Hilfiger, NYC. Assembly jeans, $564. assemblynewyork.com.
2/13Sonita Alizadeh
19/ Afghanistan/ Activist, Rapper
I am Sonita, I am from Afghanistan, and I was almost a child bride. Every year 15 million girls are forced into marriage. They lose their childhood and their hopefor a future. No one hears their voices, so I speak out on their behalf. Being a solo female rapper is dangerous in my country, but I know that I must use my voice to help other girls. Now I'm in the US, and for the first time in my life I'm a student. I have the right to choose, I can think about my future, and I am free. But so many other girls are not. My heart is heavy knowing that they live inside a nightmare. I believe that this tradition can change within one generation, so I am creating a campaign to end child marriage. I will not stop until we have a world without child marriage.
Sonita wears a Palmer Harding shirtdress. Misha Nonoo shirt (worn underneath), $275.
3/13Rowan Blanchard, @rowanblanchard
14/ Los Angeles, CA/ Actress
I want teens of all races and sexes to know that their voice is valued. An essay I wrote on intersectional feminism received a lot of attention in August. I was discussing how feminists have fought for equality in many different areas, but many times have overlooked how race and gender intersect the sexism that one faces. I feel, also, that teens are often doubted. There is a feeling that we are allowed to have opinions but they won't "matter" until we are older. I don't believe there is an age limit for opinion and intelligence. Female voices, especially those of women of color, are often put to the side. Our stories are very often told to make white men's stories seem more heroic. In one effort to change that, I have recently partnered with Instagram to help launch the #MyStory campaign. This campaign invites ALL women to tell their stories without censorship, and Instagram is the perfect place to do it! Girls are powerful and radiant, I think now is the time everyone recognizes that!
Rowan wears a Preen by Thornton Bregazzi shirt. Chanel pants. The Tie Bar tie, $19.
4/13Rhi Blossom, @rhiblossom
18/ Coquitlam, BC, Canada/ Artist, Actor, Ambassador at School Of Doodle
Yo! I'm Rhi. Art, burritos and equality turn me on. I've begun to delve into acting and music, which are keeping me sane. I've always been loud on social media about topics I feel are important like racism, gender/sexuality based discrimination, environmental issues and assault, typically expressing them through creative projects. I use several vessels of communication and I find doing multiple works at once to be both riveting and necessary. I'm currently painting and reworking used shoes and clothes, because contributing to landfills blows. I just finished art directing School Of Doodle's launch campaign, which was probably the most empowering experience I've ever known. For those of you who haven't yet been caught in the stimulating whirlwind that is S.O.D, know that it is an accumulation of girl-created content and social networking. I highly recommend you join this oddball family so we can support one another as well as get hyped on creating and sharing!
Rhi wears an Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh shirt and pants. Vans sneakers, $47
5/13Tuesday Bassen, @tuesdaybassen
26/ Lincoln, NE/ Illustrator, Designer
Originally from Nebraska, I moved to Los Angeles from New York City this year. I make work centered around strong female characters and often use themes of literal violence as figurative representation of power. Though I am proud have worked with clients like The New Yorker and Adidas, I love seeing my illustrations actively worn on t-shirts or accessories from my shop by girls and women in day to day life best.
Tuesday wears a Diesel Black Gold shirt, $450. Anne & Valentin Eyewear glasses.
6/13Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, @amani
23/East Brunswick, NJ/Media maven
I started MuslimGirl.net as an online platform to elevate Muslim women’s voices in today’s conversations: everything from pop culture to current events and trending hashtags. I was always frustrated by our lack of media representation, even though all the media ever seems to (inaccurately!) talk about is us. We're sick of being spoken over and portrayed as docile, oppressed, and voiceless. By reclaiming our narrative, we hope to empower Muslim women, combat negative stereotypes, and influence policies that directly impact us. MuslimGirl is now at the forefront of issues facing Muslim women. We're building visibility in Western media unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, from CNN and Forbes to now even our own column on TeenVogue.com! Now, I won’t stop until we become the first mainstream media network by and for Muslim women. Muslim women talk back, and the world deserves to hear what we have to say.
Amani wears a Denim x Alexander Wang jacket, $450. ASOS Curve blouse, $54.
7/13Lily Zweig, @champagne_rabbi
17/ Los Angeles, CA/ Student, Writer, Editor
My voice is an essential part of my identity. I am a talker: a carrier of conversations, a storyteller, and an instigator for action. I began speaking prematurely and at every opportunity. Early on, I learned to use my voice as a way to inspire and form deep connections
As a four year old, I decided I would someday become a Rabbi. My religion has always offered me the chance to explore conceptual thought, while remaining firmly rooted in humanity. This spiritual journey has led me to many diverse interests. From the age of fourteen I’ve worked as a teen contributor at many publications. I’ve used journalism as a means to communicate my thoughts on topics ranging from gender and equality issues, to the entertainment industry and even the sociology of high school. During my sophomore year of high school, I helped create Li3Art, an online venue for teenage artists to showcase their work. I strongly believe that the power of the imagination should be recognized, encouraged, and celebrated. One thing I know with certainty is that finding and following your passion really is the path to empowerment.
Lily wears a Nomia top, $360. Veda skirt, $350. Eugenia Kim shoes.
8/13Eli Erlick, @elierlick
20/ Willits, CA/ Queer transgender activist, writer, and student at Pitzer College
After coming out at the age of eight and spending years experiencing transphobic violence, I decided to make a change. In high school, I co-founded Trans Student Educational Resources (www.transstudent.org), the only national organization run by and for trans youth. My work and writing focuses on organizations, pathology, healthcare, education, solidarity, identity, intersectionality, collective liberation, and the limitations of equality.
Eli wears an American Apparel jacket, $245. Brooks Brothers Red Fleece shirt, $78. J Brand jeans, $188. The Tie Bar tie, $19.
9/13Kiersey Clemons, @kiersey
21/Pensacola, FL/ Actress, Activist
I grew up writing stories, songs, and sketches and performed them in my room. My stepdad was in the Navy so I switched schools a lot. Suffering from anxiety, I spent lunch observing my peers. I would pick up on their traits, taking on a new persona every new school. My mom put me in theatre and I buried myself in my creative ability to live another life. I was facing not only a crowd but also myself. The internal battles and my parents’ divorce are the reason I am capable and in turn, you are capable. What they called flaws, I call my fuel. Without you, one can't make a movie, without each other we can't make progress. Who I am has given me a platform that hopefully allows others to find the love for themselves through my films or music. The encouragement of self-expression is the first step to changing the world.
Kiersey wears a Palmer Harding shirt, $359
10/13Lucia Santina Ribisi, @maiden_honey
18 / Los Angeles, CA/ Artist
I am an explorer, here to experience as much as I can, while actively working towards social change. For me, being a feminist means constantly searching, examining my place in the world, rejecting ignorance, and taking radical action. While making artwork serves me in many ways, it can be a far-reaching social platform to manipulate culture, share perspective and start conversation, calling to action positive change for our society. Much of my current artwork focuses on sexual objectification in mainstream media and its convoluted effect on girls. In addition to my art practice, I have also curated art and music shows benefitting organizations such as Oxfam (http://www.oxfamamerica.org) and Thorn (https://www.wearethorn.org). I am currently putting together another showcase, representing a wide variety of female-identifying artists, to explore our relationship with social media. Coming from a very privileged background, I feel it is my responsibility to help diminish unequal representation, to step back and to create space for people who have historically been marginalized to be able to speak for themselves.
Lucia wears a Palmer Harding shirt, $420.
11/13Audrey Wollen, @audreywollen
23/ London, UK/ Conceptual Artist, Writer
I’m a conceptual artist and writer, working and weeping in Los Angeles. I created Sad Girl Theory, which proposes that a girl’s sadness and resulting self-destruction can be understood as a form of political activism. Resistance or revolutions have always been defined in really masculine ways (violence, anger, riots and marches), and I’m trying to uncover the untold history of girls who used their own sorrow as a way to disrupt the status quo. Crying in public, staying in bed all day, hating your body have all been dismissed for girls as “personal problems” instead of political situations. But the fact is: it is very painful to be a girl in the world right now, and sadness is sometimes the only kind of agency available to us. Imagine if every girl in history that was dismissed as sad, crazy, or self destructive was reconsidered as a revolutionary leader! My work appears on my Instagram (@audreywollen), and in research, whispers, gestures, gossip, images, and writing.
Audrey wears a T by Alexander Wang jumpsuit.
12/13Diesel Black Gold dress, $1,250. diesel.com. Comme des Garcons Play shirt, $225. Dover Street Market, NYC.
13/13Want more Teen Vogue? Make sure to 'Like' us on Facebook
