Feminism refers to the advocacy of women’s rights and equality between the sexes. There are many different feminist groups and organizations worldwide that promote these goals. Determining the “most popular” feminist group can be subjective, but we can look at factors like membership numbers, social media followers, longevity, and influence to identify some of the largest and most well-known feminist organizations.
Brief History of Feminist Movements
The feminist movement began in the 19th and early 20th centuries, as women fought for basic legal rights like the right to vote, own property, get an education, and have access to birth control. Early feminist activists and groups included the Suffragettes, who fought for women’s suffrage.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the “second wave” of feminism emerged as part of the anti-war and civil rights movements. This wave unfolded in the context of the sexual revolution and women’s increased participation in the labor force. Second wave feminists advocated for reproductive rights, access to careers and education, equal pay, and freedom from sexual violence.
Since the 1980s, aspects of “third wave” feminism have developed in response to perceived failures of the second wave to challenge gender role expectations and account for the experiences of women of color. Third wave feminism sought to be more inclusive of diverse voices. Fourth wave feminism has since emerged in the digital age to challenge rape culture, attain more leadership roles, and improve legal protections.
Major International Feminist Organizations
Some of the largest international feminist organizations with broad recognition and influence include:
- UN Women – UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment. They have offices worldwide and oversee programs in over 100 countries.
- International Planned Parenthood Federation – A leading provider of sexual and reproductive health services with over 150 member organizations worldwide. They are a major advocate for reproductive rights.
- Equality Now – An international NGO focused on the human rights of women and girls globally. They advocate to reform discriminatory laws and challenge impunity for gender-based violence.
- Feminist Majority Foundation – A US-based organization focused on women’s equality, reproductive health, and non-violence. They run domestic and international feminist campaigns.
These large organizations have significant international reach, influence, funding, and membership bases. However, there are also many impactful national and local feminist groups worldwide.
Major Feminist Groups in the United States
Some of the most well-known feminist organizations based in the United States include:
- National Organization for Women (NOW) – Founded in 1966, NOW is the largest feminist organization in the US. They have hundreds of chapters and over 500,000 contributing members. NOW engages in political lobbying and activism for women’s rights.
- NARAL Pro-Choice America – With over 2 million members, NARAL advocates for reproductive freedom and abortion access. They support pro-choice political candidates and educate the public on reproductive rights issues.
- League of Women Voters – A nonpartisan organization with chapters in every US state focused on encouraging women’s participation in the political process and advocating for women’s rights policies. They have around 300,000 members.
- American Association of University Women (AAUW) – With around 170,000 members, AAUW advances equity for women in education and the workplace through advocacy, education, and research. They provide scholarships and fellowships to women.
These large, long-standing organizations have major advocacy and lobbying presences at local, state, and national levels in the US. They mobilize millions of women as activists and members.
Newer and Digital Feminist Groups
Alongside longer-established organizations, a new crop of feminist groups have also gained popularity:
- Me Too Movement – Founded in 2006 by Tarana Burke and popularized in 2017, the Me Too movement rallies against sexual abuse and violence, especially in the workplace. They have a large social media presence and hold public awareness events.
- Women’s March – The Women’s March organizes large-scale protest marches to advocate for women’s rights and social justice. Their first major march in 2017 drew over 5 million protesters worldwide. They maintain an active digital following.
- Hollaback! – Hollaback! seeks to end street harassment using crowdsourced data, digital activism, and awareness campaigns. They have a large online community and presence in over 36 countries.
- UltraViolet – UltraViolet uses online organizing and digital campaigns to fight sexism and expand women’s rights. They mobilize their 1 million+ members to petition, email, call, and protest around feminist causes.
These newer groups harness the power of social media and digital activism to organize younger generations of feminists. Their more decentralized structures facilitate large-scale mobilization through viral campaigns.
Most Popular in Terms of Membership Numbers
If we look purely at membership numbers as a metric of popularity, the National Organization for Women (NOW) stands out as the largest feminist group in the US with 500,000 contributing members. UN Women also reaches a very large global scale with staff and offices worldwide.
Other groups with large memberships include:
- League of Women Voters – 300,000+ members
- NARAL Pro-Choice America – Over 2 million members
- American Association of University Women – 170,000 members
- International Planned Parenthood Federation – Serving over 150 member organizations globally
NOW’s longevity (founded in 1966), large national presence, major political lobbying efforts, and active membership base make it one of the most prominent membership-driven feminist organizations.
Most Popular in Terms of Social Media Presence
When looking at social media presence and follower counts, newer digital feminist groups stand out:
- Me Too Movement – 1.7 million Twitter followers, over 200,000 Instagram followers
- Women’s March – Around 350,000 Twitter followers, over 150,000 Instagram followers
- UltraViolet – 275,000 Facebook followers, 25,000 Twitter followers
- Hollaback! – Over 15,000 Twitter followers, over 12,000 Instagram followers
These groups have mobilized millions of social media users to support campaigns and share content. Their distributed digital networks allow them to rapidly disseminate information and calls to action to a wide audience.
Most Influential in Terms of Impact
There are also long-standing feminist organizations that have made major impacts over decades:
- National Women’s Political Caucus – Founded in 1971, they have helped train over 10,000 women to run for public office and elect hundreds of pro-women candidates.
- Ms. Magazine – Launched in 1972, Ms. Magazine helped drive the second wave feminist movement by building awareness around women’s rights issues.
- League of Women Voters – Around since 1920, they significantly expanded American women’s participation in the political process and public policy advocacy.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – Founded in 1920, the ACLU has impacted civil liberties and gender rights by challenging discriminatory laws in court.
These trailblazing groups paved the way for major advances in women’s rights over the last century. Their activism and policy work enacted substantial, long-term change.
Most Grassroots Support
Grassroots feminist organizing involves bottom-up, community-driven activism. Some major grassroots feminist networks include:
- National Black Women’s Justice Institute – Works to reduce criminalization of Black girls, women, and gender expansive people.
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – Mobilizes AAPI women and girls to influence policies that affect their communities.
- Coalition of Labor Union Women – Grassroots voice within the labor movement advocating for women workers’ rights.
- Domestic Workers Alliance – Organizes domestic workers to pass laws ensuring labor protections and fair wages.
These groups center women of color, low-wage workers, and other marginalized communities facing significant barriers to justice and equality. Their work emerges from the lived experiences of their constituent communities.
Most International Reach
Given the global nature of feminist struggles, many groups have significant international reach and presence:
- Association for Women’s Rights in Development – Connects feminist activists, advocates, and academics in over 115 countries.
- Women for Women International – Provides support and vocational skills training to marginalized women in countries affected by war and conflict.
- Women’s World Summit Foundation – Based in Switzerland, partners with women’s groups in over 150 countries to work towards gender equality.
- MADRE – An international women’s human rights organization working in partnership with community groups worldwide.
These groups link women worldwide around common causes and build solidarity across national movements. They bring local perspectives into global feminist platforms.
Most Focus on Reproductive Rights
Groups focused specifically on advancing reproductive rights and healthcare access include:
- Planned Parenthood – A leading reproductive healthcare provider and educator with over 150 affiliates across the US.
- NARAL Pro-Choice America – Mobilizes activism and political engagement to preserve abortion rights and access.
- National Women’s Health Network – Advocates for policy change around contraception, pregnancy, and other women’s health issues.
- Physicians for Reproductive Health
– Works to improve access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, especially for marginalized communities.
Abortion access is a key issue for the feminist movement. These groups organize doctors, lawyers, and community members around protecting and expanding reproductive rights.
Most Focus on Workplace Equality
Groups tackling workplace discrimination and pay equity include:
- American Association of University Women – Researches and advocates around issues like the gender pay gap, microaggressions, and campus sexual violence.
- 9to5 – Advocates for economic justice and ending workplace discrimination against women.
- Equal Rights Advocates – Focuses on impact litigation and reforms to end gender-based employment discrimination.
- Catalyst – Works with companies to create inclusive, women-friendly workplaces and helps women advance professionally.
These groups provide research, legal support, and training to empower women economically and achieve equality in hiring, promotion, and wages.
Most Focus on Ending Gender-Based Violence
Combating gender-based violence is also central to feminist organizing:
- Feminist Majority Foundation – Works to reduce violence against women globally, with campaigns focused on ending female genital mutilation.
- Futures Without Violence – Develops programs, policies, and campaigns to end domestic violence, sexual assault, and abuse within relationships.
- Girls for Gender Equity – Fights sexual harassment and violence, especially in schools and communities of color.
- Men Can Stop Rape – Works to mobilize men to use their strength for creating cultures free from violence, especially against women.
Ending violence entails changing policies, services, public awareness, and cultural attitudes. These groups train advocates, work with men and boys, provide services, and change laws to protect women’s safety.
Most Representation in Popular Culture
Some feminist voices achieve wide exposure in popular media and culture, though often not associated with a particular group:
- Gloria Steinem – Prolific author, speaker, and feminist activist since the 1960s, co-founded Ms. Magazine.
- Bell Hooks – Influential feminist thinker, professor, and author on intersectionality and Black feminism.
- Roxane Gay – Prominent contemporary feminist writer, professor, and cultural commentator.
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Award-winning novelist and author of the renowned essay and book We Should All Be Feminists.
These women shape feminist thought and perspectives through their writing, art, commentary, and activism. Their analysis reaches wide audiences globally.
Most Followers on Feminist Social Media
Individual feminist voices amass huge followings online:
- Mikki Kendall – Author and co-founder of Hood Feminism, with over 250,000 Twitter followers.
- Flavia Dzodan – Writer and activist focused on transnational feminist issues, with around 50,000 Twitter followers.
- Mona Eltahawy – Prominent feminist writer and public speaker, with over 300,000 Twitter followers.
- Jessica Valenti – Author and columnist writing on feminism, politics, and culture, with over 420,000 Twitter followers.
Through social media, these figures critique mainstream feminism and share marginalized perspectives. They spark vital conversations around feminist issues and ideas with diverse audiences.
Most YouTube Subscribers
Feminist YouTube channels with large subscriber bases include:
- Kat Blaque – Trans feminist YouTuber focuses on trans issues and intersectionality, with over 470,000 subscribers.
- ContraPoints – Natalie Wynn’s channel explores feminist theory, politics, and philosophy through elaborate costumes, sets and characters, with over 1.2 million subscribers.
- Riley J. Dennis – Trans feminist YouTuber discusses gender theory, identity, and politics from a queer/trans perspective, with over 200,000 subscribers.
- Lindsay Ellis – Media critic integrates feminist analysis of film, TV, and pop culture in her long-form explainer videos, with over 1.3 million subscribers.
These popular channels showcase how feminist ideas and critiques can be smart, engaging, and connect with diverse young audiences through digital media.
Conclusion
There are many vibrant feminist groups and activists carrying the torch for gender justice worldwide. While not definitive, NOW, UN Women, the Women’s March, Me Too, and other groups profiled here have achieved considerable scale and impact.
But “most popular” is subjective – perhaps local grassroots groups or anonymous digital activists nurturing small communities create the greatest change. The diversity of feminist groups reflects the progress still required towards full equality, freedom, and rights for women in all spheres of life.