Whether you’re looking for something to post in honor of Women’s History Month or simply need some motivation to keep fighting the good fight, read these powerful quotes from female founders, famous icons and feminist trailblazers. Once you get your fix, follow in the footsteps of the women before you and keep blazing that trail! “As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll all be better off for it.”
Women’s Empowerment Quotes
1. “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” Melinda Gates
2. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou
3. “Sometimes people try to destroy you, precisely because they recognize your power — not because they don’t see it, but because they see it and they don’t want it to exist.” — Janet Mock
4. “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.”— Sheryl Sandberg
5. “Black women have had to develop a larger vision of our society than perhaps any other group. They have had to understand white men, white women and black men. And they have had to understand themselves. When black women win victories, it is a boost for virtually every segment of society.” — Angela Davis
6. “For I conclude that the enemy is not lipstick, but guilt itself; we deserve lipstick, if we want it, AND free speech; we deserve to be sexual AND serious—or whatever we please. We are entitled to wear cowboy boots to our own revolution. Naomi Wolf
7. “I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” — Louise Hay
8. “Behind every great woman… is another great woman.” ― Kate Hodges
9. “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” ― Rebecca West
10. “I am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always well.” — Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Woman Quotes
11. “Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody.” — Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
12. “We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai
13. “Women don’t need to find a voice, they have a voice, and they need to feel empowered to use it, and people need to be encouraged to listen.” — Meghan Markle
14. “Men should think twice before making widowhood women’s only path to power.” Gloria Steinem
15. “Men should think twice before making widowhood women’s only path to power.” ― Gloria Steinem
16. “There is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” Virginia Woolf
17. “Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” — Hillary Clinton
18. “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” —Marie Curie
19. “I always wanted to be a femme fatale. Even when I was a young girl, I never really wanted to be a girl. I wanted to be a woman.” Diane von Furstenberg
20. “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe
Powerful Quotes About Being A Strong Woman
21. “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.” — Kofi Annan
22. “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” ― Maya Angelou
23. “Feminism is not dead, by no means. It has evolved. If you don’t like the term, change it for Goddess’ sake. Call it Aphrodite, or Venus, or bimbo, or whatever you want; the name doesn’t matter, as long as we understand what it is about, and we support it.” — Isabel Allende
24. “Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong, it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” G.D. Anderson More From Harper’s BAZAAR
25. “I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be.”—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
26. I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values – and follow my own moral compass – then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.” – Michelle Obama
27. “For me, the process of embodying confidence was less about convincing myself of my own worth and more about rejecting and unlearning what society had hammered into me.” — Lindy West
28. “I’m not going to continue knocking that old door that doesn’t open for me. I’m going to create my own door and walk through that.” — Ava DuVernay
29. “A woman who is willing to be herself and pursue her own potential runs not so much the risk of loneliness, as the challenge of exposure to more interesting men — and people in general.” — Lorraine Hansberry
30. “Feminism is layered and its power comes from its diversity.” Scarlett Curtis
Valuable Woman Quotes
31. “Feminism is not a dirty word. It does not mean you hate men. It does not mean you hate girls that have nice legs and a tan, and it does not mean you are a bitch or a dyke, it means you believe in equality.” —Kate Nash
32. “No woman should be made to fear that she was not enough.” ― Samantha Shannon, “The Priory of the Orange Tree”
33. “Like art, revolutions come from combining what exists into what has never existed before.” – Gloria Steinem
34. “Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputations can never effect a reform.” —Susan B. Anthony
35. “I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.” – Emma Stone
36. “Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way.” — Celeste Ng, Little Fires Everywhere
37. “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” – Serena Williams
38. “I’m always perpetually out of my comfort zone.” — Tory Burch
39. “Women’s freedom is the sign of social freedom.” Rosa Luxemburg
40. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou
Women Empowerment Words
41. “Here’s my feeling: For everyone, men and women, it’s important to be a feminist. It’s important to have female characters. It’s wonderful for women to mentor other women, but it’s just as important for women to mentor men and vice-versa.” — Mindy Kaling
42. “If you’re one of those people who has that little voice in the back of her mind saying, ‘Maybe I could do [fill in the blank],’ don’t tell it to be quiet. Give it a little room to grow, and try to find an environment it can grow in.” — Reese Witherspoon
43. “A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.” — Nancy Rathburn
44. “We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” — Beyoncé
45. “I am a woman with thoughts and questions and shit to say. I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story — I will.” — Amy Schumer
46. “The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.” — Barbara Corcoran
47. “We need to encourage girls that their voice matters. I think there are hundreds and thousands of Malalas out there.” — Malala Yousafzai
48. “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” ― Irina Dunn
49. “Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” Toni Morrison
50. “Who made man the exclusive judge, if women partake with him the gift of reason?” Mary Wollstonecraft
Short Feminist Quotes
51. “There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” — Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
52. “Imagine how much happier we would be, how much freer to be our true individual selves, if we didn’t have the weight of gender expectations.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
53. “The biggest problem that women have is being ambivalent about their own power… We should be comfortable with the idea of wielding power. We shouldn’t feel that it detracts from our femininity.” — Elizabeth Wurtzel, Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women
54. “As long as she thinks of a man, nobody objects to a woman thinking.” ― Virginia Woolf, “Orlando”
55. “Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” — Ella Fitzgerald
56. “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou
57. “I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human. I am messy. I’m not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I’m right. I am just trying — trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.” — Roxane Gay
58. “The biggest barrier for women is the thought that they can’t have it all.” ― Cathy Engelbert
59. “Everything is within your power, and your power is within you.” — Janice Trachtman
Famous Quotes About Female Strength And Resilience
60. “When a man gives his opinion, he’s a man; when a woman gives her opinion, she’s a bitch.” Bette Davis
61. “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” — Angela Davis
62. “Hear me as a woman Have me as your sister On purpled battlefield breaking day, So I might say our victory is just beginning, See me as change, Say I am movement, That I am the year And I am the era Of the women.” — Amanda Gorman, Won’t You Be My Sister
63. “Freedom is to live with dignity.” — Manal al-Sharif, Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening
64. “When I believe in something, I’m like a dog with a bone.” — Melissa McCarthy
65. “A huge part of being a feminist is giving other women the freedom to make choices you might not necessarily make yourself.” — Lena Dunham
66. “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anaïs Nin
67. “I hate to hear you talking so like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days.” -Jane Austen
68. “Women, we endure those cuts in so many ways that we don’t even notice we’re cut. We are living with small tiny cuts, and we are bleeding every single day. And we’re still getting up.” – Michelle Obama
69. “Black women have had to develop a larger vision of our society than perhaps any other group. They have had to understand white men, white women, and black men. And they have had to understand themselves. When black women win victories, it is a boost for virtually every segment of society.” Angela Davis
70. “Respect, Love, and Value yourself. Always remember to be good to yourself by taking care of yourself. Make yourself a priority and know that it’s okay. Don’t feel guilty for loving yourself, first! You’re just as important as anybody else.” — Stephanie Lahart
Women Supporting Women Quotes
71. “I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world.” – Beyoncé
72. “You don’t have to be pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don’t owe it to your mother, you don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked ‘female.'” — Erin McKean
73. “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant to be your own person, be independent.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
74. “Black women have had to develop a larger vision of our society than perhaps any other group. They have had to understand white men, white women and black men. And they have had to understand themselves. When black women win victories, it is a boost for virtually every segment of society.” ― Angela Davis
75. “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant to be your own person, be independent.” —Ruth Bader Ginsburg
76. “I’m not going to limit myself just because people won’t accept the fact that I can do something else.” — Dolly Parton
77. “Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
78. “I try to live in a little bit of my own joy and not let people steal it or take it.” — Hoda Kotb
79. “No woman should be told she can’t make decisions about her own body. When women’s rights are under attack, we fight back.” Kamala Harris
80. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West
Empowerment Quotes
81. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron
82. “Figure out who you are separate from your family, and the man or woman you’re in a relationship with. Find who you are in this world and what you need to feel good alone. I think that’s the most important thing in life. Find a sense of self because with that, you can do anything else.” — Angelina Jolie
83. “We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” ― Sheryl Sandberg
84. “We know that when a woman speaks truth to power, there will be attempts to put her down… I’m not going to go anywhere.” Maxine Waters
85. “I’m a feminist. I’ve been a female for a long time now. It’d be stupid not to be on my own side.” – Maya Angelou
86. “I’ve been in so many spaces where I’m the first and only Black trans woman or trans woman period. I just want to work until there are fewer and fewer ‘first and only’s.” — Raquel Willis
87. “That’s one of the things I have dysphoria around as a trans woman. ‘So what if I’m not a model?’ … But I was just like, ‘This is me. This is what I look like. This is who I love. This is who I fight for.’” Raquel Willis
88. “I think transwomen, and transpeople in general, show everyone that you can define what it means to be a man or woman on your own terms. A lot of what feminism is about is moving outside of roles and moving outside of expectations of who and what you’re supposed to be to live a more authentic life.” — Laverne Cox
89. There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer. Rihanna
90. “It’s hard not to be a fighter when you’re constantly under siege.” — Cassandra Duffy
91. “I’ve been in so many spaces where I’m the first and only Black trans woman or trans woman period. I just want to work until there are fewer and fewer ‘first and only’s.” Raquel Willis
What are some popular women’s empowerment quotes?
92. “I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.” — Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
93. “We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” Sheryl Sandberg
94. “Whether I am meant to or not, I challenge assumptions about women. I do make some people uncomfortable, which I’m well aware of, but that’s just part of coming to grips with what I believe is still one of the most important pieces of unfinished business in human history—empowering women to be able to stand up for themselves.” Hillary Clinton
95. “There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.” – Rihanna
96. “I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be.” ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “We Should All Be Feminists”
97. “A strong woman is a woman determined to do something that others are determined not to be done.” — Marge Piercy
98. “Women have always been the strong ones of the world.” ― Coco Chanel
99. “You deserve to be here. You deserve to exist. You deserve to take up space in this world of men.” — MacKenzi Lee
100. “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” Rebecca West
101. “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?” Sojourner Truth
