Feminism has steadily been making a comeback in mainstream media over the last couple of years. With widely famous celebrities such as Taylor Swift declaring themselves feminists, the word is being rebranded after a history of negative reception. However this rebranding is not by way of retreating to feminism's, dare I say, haters because this new wave of feminism is all about preventing women from sacrificing themselves to adhere to societal pressures and norms so that the world can rest peacefully with the comfort of knowing that women are put in their places. Shows like HBO's "Girls" and NBC's "Saturday Night Live" have delivered us with a new kind of female comedian that encompasses this feminism through loud, lovable, and raunchy satire. These women are here to stay, so you might want to take notes because their witty repartee is the perfect cure for just about everything.
Amy Schumer
Born and raised in New York, comedian Amy Schumer has risen through the ranks over the past year, and with her new movie "Trainwreck" coming out this week, her newfound stardom is only growing. On her show "Inside Amy Schumer," Amy acts in different skits each episode, mostly parodies to make a strong point about the standards women are held to and the control and role of men in these situations. In one skit that recently went viral titled "Girl, You Don't Need Makeup," Schumer parodied One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful," to point out the beauty expectation that women are faced with on an everyday basis, while simultaneously taught to value one's natural beauty. Amy isn't afraid to be crude and finds most of her humor in talking candidly about sex. Her no holds barred attitude is refreshing and slightly uncomfortable to watch at certain moments, which is most definitely how she wants you to feel.
"People are f-ing filthy and dirty, and women don't need to pretend they're not anymore." - Amy Schumer
Cecily Strong
Sorry Obama, but Cecily was not gonna let you off that easily. If Cecily hadn't already made you laugh on SNL, she sure did during the White House Correspondant's dinner. As the first Latina woman to ever take the stage with the duty of make the highly anticipated speech poking fun at the press and the president.
"Since I'm a comedian, I'm not going to try to tell you politicians how to do politics. That'd be like you guys trying to tell me what to do with my body. Can you imagine?" - Cecily Strong
Ilana Glaser & Abby Jacobson
Watch out young broke 20-somethings, if you are complaining and frustrated about your life, these girls will take your angst and turn it into gut wrenching laughter, the kind that makes you keel over with a tear running down your face. Glaser and Jacobson are the stars of Comedy Central's "Broad City." A show with a similar style and voice to "Girls," but with a more light-hearted sense of humor and plot. And with their new Vanity Fair cover coming out, these ladies are being recognized for their refreshing voices.
"You have to be your own cause, even if it feels stupid and lame sometimes. Define your voice and share it. That's your purpose." - Ilana Glazer
Jessica Williams
As a regular on the Daily Show, Jessica Williams is an expert at critiquing politics, people and society overall. Following in the footsteps of one of the sharpest minds in comedy, Jon Stewart, Williams brings her fiery tongue and her quick mind to every segment on the show. She has covered stories such as the renaming of the Redskins. While this group of female comedians is certainly diverse, the female comedy world itself is not. For all of the household name comedians, most are white, and that is even true to say for this list, as Jessica Williams' level of comedy is off the charts, her fame is not quite there yet. And while Jessica's talent isn't based on her race, and she should never be looked at as a place holder for a necessary diversity plug, it's important to acknowledge her ability to dominate in an industry that systematically oppresses African American female voices, this double whammy of oppression didn't stand in her way.
"Ultimately, when I deliver something, a lot of times it will be from a black woman's perspective, but other times it will just be from a satirical, goofy perspective." - Jessica Williams
