Feminism has come a long way from being perceived as a collective of men-hating, bra-burning sociopaths. 2014, especially, has been a great year for feminism; Women stood up for their rights, challenged stereotypes, fought for recognition and took control of the dialogue.
Here are some of the epitomising feminist moments of the year gone by.
Malala Yousafzai Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Seventeen-year-old Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education".
An advocate of women's education, Yousafzai, after winning the award, joked to reporters that Nobel Prize is "not going to help in exams" and headed straight back to chemistry class.
Facebook Stops Censoring Breastfeeding
A feminist coalition led by advocates, convinced Facebook to change its policy banning photos of women breastfeeding, in the process demolishing a problematic double standard that sent the message that women's bodies are inherently obscene.
Emma Watson Stuns 'HeForShe' Campaign Speech
Hermoine Granger is all grown up and she is ready to fight for women around the world. Emma Watson's "HeForShe" speech at the United Nations, highlighting the importance of gender equality and feminism paved way for open discussions about women's issues.
#YesAllWomen Gets Tweeted 2 Million Times in Less than 4 Days
The emotional, organic online campaign #YesAllWomen began as a way of addressing a 22-year-old man's killing spree in Santa Barbara, wherein most of his victims were females. The campaign highlighted that #NotAllMen may be rapists or abusers, but all women deal with the threat of being hurt every day.
Normal-Size Barbie Shatters Size Zero Fantasies
Graphic artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm develops Lammily dolls that represent real, live women. Built in proportion with the average measurements of a 19-year-old woman, these anti-Barbies even come with stickers of moles, stretch marks, scars and bruises, to make them more realistic and relatable.
