7 Websites All Feminists Should Know

For all the people in the world — young, old, and in between — who are realizing that feminism is a rad movement and that the dismantling of the patriarchy is essential, there's no better time than the 21st century to expand your knowledge. Why? Because of technology. With so much information and so many perspectives readily available online, it's easy to teach yourself about intersectional issues, gender studies, and feminist theory. Among these are a wide variety of essential websites for feminists than can take you from newbie to educated intersectional veteran. Thanks, internet!

When looking for a feminist websites, it's important to take several things into consideration. Is it run or funded by women? Are there a lot of mansplainers? Is it critical of the ways in which the patriarchy operates? Is it bold and unapologetic, but willing to be held accountable when problematic things are said? Is it intersectional and inclusive of all women, not just straight, cis, white ones? Of course, not every feminist site is perfect, nor does it have to be; it would be unfair to hold these websites to different or higher standards than we hold general websites, and let's face it: There are a lot of imperfect websites out there in the world. However, good feminist websites, news sources, and resources stand for progressive values and intersectional empowerment, so it's worth vetting your go-to sites with a critical eye.

Let's take a look at seven of these feminist websites to get the ball rolling on your newfound love of feminism. Or, if you've been a feminist for as long as you can remember, add these ones to your regular reading list. No matter how long you've considered yourself a part of the movement, they're essential for every feminist.

1. Feministing

Feministing is one of my favorite feminist news websites, with fantastic coverage of everything from pop culture to presidential campaigns to activism on college campuses. Their staff includes young feminists and plenty of writers of color; both long and short reads are featured on the site, and articles are occasionally accompanied by multimedia.

2. Refinery29

Refinery29 is a women's lifestyle publication which strives to help women "live a more stylish and creative life." Sections on the website include fashion, beauty, living, health, entertainment, tech, and news, and the content truly covers all those topics in addition to many more. Want to learn about what Tinder is doing to help transgender users? There's an article for that. Trying to find hair tips for curly-haired girls? Also an article for that. Unable to find a good book to read this month? Yep, you guessed it, there's an article for that too.

3. The Establishment

The Establishment is a badass website run and funded by women which strives to "provide space for writers and creators of all shapes, sizes, and creeds." Their articles range from first person accounts like "What It's Like To Get An Illegal Abortion in Malaysia" to pop culture analyses like "Why Are We Scared Of All-Women Alliances On Reality TV." Their Audio+Visual section features photo essays, vintage videos, and artist galleries. If you want a dose of hard facts and major truth-telling you may not hear elsewhere, head to The Establishment.

4. Black Girl Dangerous

The voices of queer and trans people of color are frequently ignored by mainstream news outlets and publications. Black Girl Dangerous, however, seeks to remedy this major issue, providing an excellent platform for queer and trans people of color. "Race," "resistance," "family," "humor," "wellness," "solidarity," "queer," "transgender," and "community" are just a few of the tags covered by BGD; additionally, for those of us who are absolutely obsessed with the site, there's also a podcast hosted by Mia Mckenzie which covers topics ranging from Beyonce, to veganism, and to bell hooks.

5. Everyday Feminism

Intersectional feminist publication Everyday Feminism's vision is simple: "We want to live in a world where every person (and we mean every single person) is treated with respect, directs their own lives, and reaches their full potential." They strive towards this with their coverage of topics including bodies/body image/body positivity, privilege, sex and sexuality, religion, and the best section for new feminists, feminism 101. Each article has bolded main points which is one of my favorite things about Everyday Feminism — it's kind of like a feminist TL;DR.

6. Bitch Magazine

Bitch is a nonprofit, feminist media organization based out of Portland, Ore. focused on writing responses to pop culture and media through a feminist lens. Contributors cover books, music, design, and a variety of other culturally relevant topics. Unlike many of the other websites on this list, writing from Bitch contributors tends to take a more academic tone, so if super-smart, long-form articles are your thing, pick up a copy of the print publication in addition to checking out the website online. The website also includes some digital exclusives you can't find in the print magazines, like the Bitchtapes.

7. Autostraddle

Autostraddle, an online magazine founded in 2009 for lesbian, bisexual, and "otherwise inclined" ladies, declares itself a "provocative voice and a progressively feminist online community." If you're a new feminist and/or a newly out queer or trans person, definitely head to Autostraddle for sections like "how to be gay," "boobs on your tube," or "queer girl city guide" — and even if you're a longtime feminist or have been out for many years, it's still worth checking out.

Images: Andrew Zaeh for Bustle; Giphy (7)