Rebel Girls: 33 Badass Women Leading the Resistance (On Twitter)

feature image via shutterstock.com

Header by Rory Midhani

After the election, I followed over 100 new people on Twitter. Some things are more important than ratios, or clutter in your feed, or “social media as self-care,” or having the number “420” permanently appear over the word “following” on your Twitter page. The resistance is calling. These women are leading it. Follow them, get woke, and stay shook. It’s the only way we’re gonna win this thing.

As always, I’m presenting our panel of experts in ABC order because I don’t believe in ranking women nor do I believe in falling in line.

Ali Osworth

As if you couldn’t love Ali more, her sweet little face and polite set of manners happen to be no more than a clever disguise for her drive to overthrow our toxic government and put in its place a true Democracy. Imagine that!

Amy Siskind

Amy posts a list once a week of the shit that happened that is straight-up not normal as an act of resistance against a rising autocracy. She also has a lot of sass and shares valuable information all the live-long day.

Andi Zeisler

You loved her already because she founded BITCH. Now I love her because her snarky tweets about politics give me life when my pursuit of liberty has me begging someone for death.

Andrea Grimes

Andrea Grimes is a podcaster, feminist writer, and tried-and-true red-state activist. I don’t know if you’ve ever met someone who fights for reproductive rights in the south, but if you haven’t know this: Don’t fucking mess.

https://twitter.com/andreagrimes/status/826232563383406592

Ann Friedman

I followed Ann Friedman when she was live-tweeting her trip to the Women’s March on a sparkling water-filled, wine-soaked plane ride stacked with feminist activists and pussyhats. I haven’t looked back since.

https://twitter.com/annfriedman/status/822528413890007040

Anna Holmes

Remember when you really liked Jezebel? Come home.

https://twitter.com/AnnaHolmes/status/826271204101218305

Brittani Nichols

I know y’all are already following Brittani Nichols. If not, fix this immediately.

Carmen Rios

My trolls can’t decide if I’m a man or a woman. I can’t decide which photo of me in a pink fur coat goes best with my Twitter threads about the left’s cannibalization of itself and how much I hate Bernie Sanders.

Carrie Wade

When she’s not keeping you woke on Autostraddle dot com, Carrie is on Twitter sharing resources and information about how the Trump administration impacts intersectionally marginalized queers and how we fight back. Also, she’s your type, be real.

Elizabeth Plank

Liz Plank has been on the frontlines of political reporting in the digital age for years, and now that’s more critical to us than ever. Follow her for livestreams from protests, inside scoops about what’s happening at the White House, and really well-made videos about feminist politics.

https://twitter.com/feministabulous/status/826167355151618050

Erin Schrode

I adore Erin Schrode. She bounced back from a failed bid for Congress louder and more driven than ever, and she’s using her platform to spread the good word about everything from DAPL activism to how the Democrats should be fighting Trump.

Heather Anne F*cking Hogan

Everybody needs a good self-righteous rant about the right’s diametric opposition to the word of God every once in a while, right?

Imani Gandy

These hot takes are literally so hot they are scathing. You’re about to get told. You’ll be better for it.

Jamia Wilson

I’ve been connected to Jamia for a long time, and I value her insight more every day. She has the activist background and lived experience to present you with a unique read on the day-to-day of what’s going on and also she writes great things and posts links to them, so.

Jamilah Lemeiux

If Jamilah’s thoughtful analysis isn’t enough for you, there’s also a solid number of updates about her precious and perfect daughter involved to get you through the day.

Janet Mock

I’m enjoying watching Janet Mock assume her throne as Queen of the Modern Feminist Movement. Join me.

Jen Kirkman

A lot of comedians stopped using Twitter for punchlines and started using it for protest after the election. Jen Kirkman is one of them, and I adore her for it.

Joy Reid

Y’all, Joy Reid spills more tea than anyone I know. And that’s saying something. Come for the hot takes, stay for the hot takes.

Kamala Harris

I know y’all want Kamala to run for President, but I’m not ready to talk about other women running for president yet. I am ready to talk about how many times a day I want to retweet Kamala Harris, though. Her Twitter is a neverending stream of inspiration, rallying cries, and strategies for political opposition you can believe in.

Lauren Duca

Lauren Duca has seen through Donald Trump from the start. Help her keep Teen Vogue woke and give her a follow.

Leah McElrath

Sarah Kendzior told me to follow Leah. She did not have to tell me twice.

Melissa Gira Grant

Melissa Gira Grant is fearless, bold, intelligent, and often right. I’m deeply proud to have worked with her in the past and am unable to ever stop telling people how amazing she is. I hope I’m MGG when I grow up.

Melissa McEwan

Melissa McEwan is an eloquent social justice blogger with smart, incisive perspectives on what’s happening to our country and what went wrong in the election. I live and die by her words. Amen.

https://twitter.com/Shakestweetz/status/797216051188604928

Mikki Kendall

If you’re not following Mikki Kendall yet I don’t know who you are.

Parker Molloy

Watching Parker Molloy literally @ members of the GOP leadership and take them to town is my self-care.

https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/825625464202985472

Propane Jane

Propane Jane is a blogger and prolific Twitter user who serves up analysis and righteous fire on the regular. Her threads cover everything from southern strategies to Trump’s mental health to the death of the GOP to where we go next, and she’s one of the only people who can retweet herself and make me feel #blessed.

Rebecca Schoenkopf

Wonkette is funny. The death of the republic? Not so much. That’s why Rebecca’s been keeping it real on Twitter. Come thru.

Rebecca Traister

If you’re not reading her books, you’re not living your best life. If you’re not following her on Twitter, you’re just making a huge mistake.

Sady Doyle

I FUCKING LOVE YOU SADY DOYLE. BLESS.

Sarah Kendzior

Sarah Kendzior will keep you shook, but she’ll also keep you fighting. She’s spent a lifetime studying authoritarian rule in Russia and spent the election covering Donald Trump’s horrific rise to the White House. She hails from the midwest, too, and offers up some good perspectives on what she calls “flyover country” and how folks in red states or former purple states can resist.

Sarah Lerner

When she isn’t running a Twitter account based around the alternative reality in which Hillary Clinton is President, she is throwing out a steady stream of bold ideas for fighting Trump, saving the left from itself, and also continuing to worship Hillary Clinton. Let us never stop worshiping Hillary Clinton.

https://twitter.com/SarahLerner/status/819441364584669184

Tara Culp-Ressler

ThinkProgress is on the frontlines of the resistance against Trump, and they know their shit. That’s in part because they’re blessed to have Tara on their team. Follow her for a steady stream of well-reported pieces about what the fuck is happening here.

Zerlina Maxwell

Fresh off a job at the Hillary Clinton campaign, Zerlina Maxwell’s Twitter remains a place of progressive thought leadership and smart analysis.

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!
Related:

Carmen

Carmen spent six years at Autostraddle, ultimately serving as Straddleverse Director, Feminism Editor and Social Media Co-Director. She is now the Consulting Digital Editor at Ms. and writes regularly for DAME, the Women’s Media Center, the National Women’s History Museum and other prominent feminist platforms; her work has also been published in print and online by outlets like BuzzFeed, Bitch, Bust, CityLab, ElixHER, Feministing, Feminist Formations, GirlBoss, GrokNation, MEL, Mic and SIGNS, and she is a co-founder of Argot Magazine. You can find Carmen on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr or in the drive-thru line at the nearest In-N-Out.

Carmen has written 919 articles for us.

17 Comments

  3. I only discovered Sarah Lerner’s @IfHillaryHad #AltPotus45 twitter/alternate reality yesterday (thanks to @punkystarshine!) but holy CRAP it is wonderful. If you need a healthy dose of escapism, this right here is the perfect place.

  6. Thank you, I recently opened a twitter account to keep informed about all crazy things exploding and trying destroy my rights.This is exactly what I needed.

  8. I love this!

    Another suggestion–Ana Navarro has really been kicking ass lately. I don’t agree with her politics, but her willingness to stand up to her party for what is right at the risk of losing her job is awe-inspiring.

  9. Great list and suggestions over all.

    correct me if I’m wrong here, but I have a major issue with the Amy Siskind tweet you selected for this post. I don’t know her and I hope the rest of her feminism is more intersectional but:
    Amy Siskind ✔ @Amy_Siskind
    He’s coming for us next. Let me tell you something @realDonaldTrump: you’re fucking with the wrong community!!! https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/826174682915287045 …
    6:01 PM – 30 Jan 2017

    a) he already came for us; there are LGBT muslims, LGBT undocumented immigrants, black LGBT folks, etc
    b) the implication that he’s *now* fucking with the wrong community–as if refugees, muslims, mexicans were the “right” community to fuck with?

  10. This looks like a great list of people to follow.

    Another suggestion is actress Constance Wu, who has been tearing apart the entrainment industry.

  11. yes thank you for this carmen! i just went and followed all the women i wasn’t already following :)

  14. yes, fantastic list! everyone needs to listen to propane jane — she’s on shit YEARS before people get onto it.

    also, kara calavera knows what’s up.

Comments are closed.