Top Feminists of 2024: From Texas Lawsuits to Global Movements

In the second year following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, 2024 emerged as a defining period for feminist resistance and resilience. Ms. Magazine’s annual honors highlight a year where the bravest and most influential figures in the movement refused to be silenced, even as they faced unprecedented legal and political attacks. At the forefront of this list are the twenty-seven plaintiffs in Zurawski v. Texas, women who courageously sued the state to seek clarification on “medical emergency” exceptions within its draconian abortion ban. Their stories, such as Amanda Zurawski nearly dying from sepsis after being denied care and Samantha Casiano being forced to carry a non-viable fetus to term, shocked the nation. Although the Texas Supreme Court ultimately refused to clarify the law, these women’s courage transformed personal trauma into a powerful national catalyst for awareness and action.

The year was also marked by historic shifts in political representation and organizing. Kamala Harris continued to break ceilings as the first woman Vice President, aggressively leading the White House Gender Policy Council and championing reproductive rights as a central pillar of the administration’s agenda. Her work was bolstered by the formidable power of Black women voters, who once again proved to be the backbone of democracy with turnout rates exceeding 70% in key elections, despite facing systemic barriers like voter ID laws and polling place closures. This wave of political influence extended into legislative halls, where Sarah McBride became the first openly transgender person elected to the U.S. Congress, and South Carolina’s “Sister Senators” won a record number of seats to fight for expanded childcare and maternity leave.

On the frontlines of care, abortion providers and funding organizations emerged as true heroes, operating in high-risk environments where 14 states have banned the procedure. These professionals faced threats of criminal prosecution and financial pressure to help over 100,000 women access essential reproductive care through interstate travel and community support networks. This spirit of resistance was mirrored in the halls of Congress by figures like Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, whose fearless advocacy for racial and gender justice challenged racist rhetoric and supported voting rights, providing a powerful mentorship model for young women of color.

Beyond the United States, 2024 saw the continued bravery of feminist movements worldwide. In Iran, the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement survived harsh crackdowns, with women continuing to organize secret protests and defy hijab laws through underground networks. Similarly, Afghan women under Taliban rule risked their lives to run secret schools and provide clandestine healthcare, documenting human rights violations to ensure their struggles were not forgotten by the international community. These global efforts emphasize a core lesson of 2024: feminist progress is inherently intersectional and interconnected. Whether in Tehran or Texas, the recognition that true liberation requires addressing race, class, and gender identity simultaneously has strengthened international solidarity and created a more unified front against regressive policies.

As we look toward 2025, the heroes of 2024 have lit a clear path forward. The priorities remain urgent: protecting existing rights from further rollbacks, expanding female representation in all levels of government, and achieving genuine economic justice by closing the gender pay gap. Ms. Magazine’s report concludes with a call to action, urging readers to vote, organize, and donate to the causes that define our time. The feminist agenda is unequivocally a human rights agenda, and while the challenges of the past year were immense, the extraordinary courage displayed by these individuals proves that the movement is not just surviving—it is thriving.