51 Best Blogs for Following Women’s Rights Issues

American society has made progress when it comes to the role of women. They can attend college without fear of stigma. They can hold powerful positions in government, business, arts and sciences. They can have both careers and families. But in spite of the headway, a current of misogyny still flows throughout public perception. Women still have to contend with harassment, domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault. They have to watch as politicians attempt to rob them of their reproductive rights. They have to grapple with body image difficulties because the media only acknowledge one particular shape as “attractive.” Transwomen have to fight to even be collectively considered female. Legions of brave individuals of all genders and gender identities smashed glass ceilings, but this does not mean every boundary has been eliminated.

Beyond the borders of the developed world, the plight of women grows even graver. Many nations still practice genital mutilation and punish the victims of rape and sexual assault. Some deny women the right to an education, healthcare and reproductive freedom. Others kill members of the LGBTQIA community for no reason other than the sexual identities they cannot help. Anyone who considers her- or himself an advocate of women’s rights cannot sit idly by and ignore perils the world over. Just because certain practices rarely occur in America does not mean they are not worthy of attention. The following blogs, almost all of them feminist and humanist in nature, cover a broad spectrum of women’s rights topics, from human trafficking to street harassment to eating disorders — and everything in between. Take a moment to consider what they have to say about the state of females worldwide and what can be done to secure them completely, absolutely equal footing in their respective societies.

1. Feministing: Pretty much every women’s (and transwomen’s) rights issue gets covered here, from the pro-choice movement to ending domestic violence to LGBTQIA rights and more.
2. Women’s Rights at Change.org: Follow the latest news and views on the political, social and economic issues that either damage or further womankind’s equal standing with men.
3. The Women’s Media Center Blog: The media plays a major role in shaping perspective of a woman’s place in society, and this blog and website acts as a watchdog for any signs of sexism or exploitation. It also wants to promote better visibility of female media figures.
4. Sociological Images: While not dedicated exclusively to women’s rights, Sociological Images does an excellent job of pointing out examples of systemic misogyny that perpetuate negative feminine stereotypes.
5. DCTC: Transgender rights have a sad history of getting pushed to the margins of the feminist movement, but organizations such as the DC Trans Coalition are standing at the forefront of voicing their rights.
6. We Are The Real Deal: Women and girls are not the only people who suffer from eating disorders exacerbated by society’s painfully narrow definition of beauty. However, they do comprise the majority, and this blog empowers readers to take a stand against shaming the “imperfect.”
7. The Champa Tree: Real Moms is a series by The Champa Tree, where they introduce to the readers some strong women who overcame seemingly impossible challenges and emerged victoriously.
8. Name It. Change It.: This relatively new blog emphasizes examples of misogyny aimed at female political candidates, regardless of their party affiliation.
9. Stop Street Harassment: Every woman has the right to walk down the street without some leering man making her uncomfortable just for going about her business.
10. The F-Word Blog: The F-Word’s blog and website provides a glimpse into feminism and women’s rights issues in the United Kingdom.
11. Feministe: A number of diverse contributors weigh in on women’s rights issues and feminism, also paying close attention to the marginalization of minorities and the LGBTQIA community as well.
12. Gender Across Borders: This excellent blog takes a look at feminism from a global perspective, making sure to address other issues regarding class, race, sexuality, gender and gender identity and more.
13. My Fault, I’m Female: Women submit their stories of being made to feel inferior simply for being female. While not explicitly about women’s rights per se, it does shed some light on the systemic misogyny that allows violations to occur.
14. BUST: An unapologetically feminist read covering anything and everything related to the rights and role of women in society. Be sure to check out the rest of the website and the magazine as well!
15. FWD/Forward: Learn all about the issues directly impacting women with disabilities with the incredibly valuable, informative FWD/Forward blog.
16. Feminist Philosophers: Peer into the philosophies behind feminism and a plethora of different women’s rights issues worldwide.
17. Womanist Musings: In spite of her blog’s title, Renee at Womanist Musings often delves into general human rights problems as well. She certainly does an excellent job of finding commonalities in the problems different marginalized communities face.
18. Muslimah Media Watch: Muslim women painstakingly dissect their depiction in the mass media, dispelling many of the myths associated with their faith, culture and experiences.
19. Our Bodies, Our Blog: Stop here for a comprehensive education on women’s health and the various policies and procedures that impact it.
20. Ms. Magazine Blog: One of the cornerstones of the Second Wave expands its feminist offerings online, featuring enlightening content on the plight of women worldwide.
21. What About Our Daughters: Black females must contend with society’s own unique prejudices against them, and this immensely educational resource outlines them in detail and provides instructions on how to break the cycles and the stereotypes.
22. AAUW Dialog: The American Association of University Women advances the cause of encouraging females to value their educations and use them as stepping stones towards success.
23. XX Factor: Find out what women really think of issues such as rape, marriage, feminism, sex, exploitation and much, much more.
24. Women & Hollywood: Even in this supposedly “enlightened” era, women still have a ways to go before the mainstream movie industry sees them as anything other than sex objects to be paraded on screen. This blog celebrates those who flex their creativity and work long and hard to forge an equal place for females in film.
25. Viva la Feminista: Many feminists are loving mothers in spite of what the slanderous stereotypes may dictate. Viva la Feminista highlights women’s rights issues as they pertain to families, though others pop in as well.
26. Yes Means Yes!: Continuing the theme found in the original book, Yes Means Yes! wants to promote a world that works harder to prevent rape and embraces female sexuality as equal to male.
27. The Crunk Feminist Collective: This blog brings feminism and women’s rights issues to both straight and LGBTQIA minority Americans who grew up within the hip hop culture, focusing largely on movements and problems within that particular community.
28. Questioning Transphobia: In addition to mercilessly tearing apart the unwarranted fear of the transgendered, blogger Lisa also sheds light on other women’s rights violations and examples of inequality from around the world.
29. Repossess Reproductive Justice: Law students weigh in on the politics of reproduction — one of the most controversial and visible issues concerning women today.
30. Women and Prison: The Woman and Prison website keeps a frequently updated newsfeed and RSS dedicated to the unique problems relating to females in the criminal justice system.
31. Reappropriate: Jenn at Reappropriate dissects feminism and women’s rights from an Asian-American (specifically, Canada) perspective, providing some excellent historical, cultural and political insights along the way.
32. Nancy Gruver’s Blog at Daughters.com: Aimed at parents, Nancy Gruver’s blog discusses the messages that the media sends to young women (mostly ages 8 and up) and offers helpful advice on raising them to think critically about them.
33. Feminists For Choice: Anyone needing to learn more about the pro-choice movement should check out this blog to read the latest news and views on women’s reproductive rights.
34. Body Impolitic: Feminism collides with art, beauty memes, transgender rights, politics and much, much more in this very challenging and wholly intellectual blog by photographer Laurie Toby Edison.
35. Change Happens: The SAFER Blog: Students Active for Ending Rape dedicates itself to preventing sexual assault and rape on college campuses worldwide. Visit their website for information on starting up a chapter in areas without representation.
36. Say It Sister!: NOW’s official blog brings the organization’s fight for sexual equality to the internet — carrying on the feminist legacy that started back in 1966.
37. Young Feminists: Another blog affiliated with NOW, this time aimed at inspiring up-and-coming generations to stand up for their rights as women and put an end to domestic violence, sexual assault and rape.
38. Happy Bodies: Society shames women without a small waist and generous bust, and the writers at Happy Bodies hope to dispel these stupidly limiting myths by teaching young women how to make peace with their physical selves. And to promote body diversity in the media as well!
39. National Sexual Violence Resource Center Blogs: Rape and sexual assault are serious issues for people of all genders and gender identities, and this absolutely necessary resource provides hope and resources for victims and their loved ones.
40. Women’s Glib: Since 2009, young feminists worldwide have used Women’s Glib as an outlet for discussing a wide variety of rights and equality issues.
41. ECHIDNE of the snakes: Subscribe to ECHIDNE of the snakes for some incredibly intelligent analyses of the latest news and views on women’s rights, feminism and related subjects.
42. Women’s Refugee Commission: Both the blog and the website dedicate themselves to shedding light on the specific problems preventing refugee women from obtaining an equal, satisfying, and safe place in the world.
43. Akimbo: Presented by the International Women’s Health Coalition, Akimbo wants women the world over to have access to the necessary healthcare. They also work tirelessly to prevent domestic violence, coercion, sexual assault and rape as well.
44. Hollaback!: Women stand up against street harassment, sharing their dehumanizing experiences and strategies for preventing incidents and turning the tables on tormenters.
45. Girldrive: Nona Willis Aronowitz and Emma Bee Berenstein trekked across America to ask young women about feminism and the issues that affect them most.
46. Operation Beautiful: Caitlin Boyle’s goal is as simple as it is altruistic. Discourage body image issues by posting anonymous notes around the world with uplifting and inspiring messages that crack artificial beauty standards.
47. where is your line?: In association with the sex-positive film “The Line,” this blog facilitates dialogue between people regarding the establishment of individual boundaries and critical thinking about consent versus coercion.
48. TransGriot: This incredibly comprehensive blog by Monica Roberts covers LGBTQIA, race and women’s rights issues from around the world.
49. amplify: Amplify aims squarely at the youth of the world and encourages them to step up and discuss issues facing both men and women — particularly those pertaining to sex, violence, health and discrimination.
50. The Human Trafficking Project: Estimates may vary, but many believe that women and girl comprise 70% to 80% of international human trafficking victims. Most end up shoved into a life of sexual servitude and exploitation.
51. Sadie Magazine Blog: Be sure to read Sadie magazine’s offerings beyond the blog for a wide range of insights into furthering the causes of feminism and women’s rights.

October 15th, 2010