20 Feminist Inspirational Quotes to Adorn Your Graduation Cap

With graduation season just around the corner, you grads are probably starting to reflect on the past four years of your life. And you’re likely looking ahead to what’s on the horizon, too. That future is limitless, especially if you’re a woman during this time of growing female empowerment! That’s why you may be thinking of embellishing your cap with one of your favorite feminist inspirational quotes. With women’s rights issues today at the foreground of political and social conversations, true gender equality seems like a reality that could be achieved in your lifetime. Celebrate that truth by decorating your graduation cap with a feminist inspirational quote. For the Music Buff… Is music the language that your soul speaks? Then it could factor into your graduation day. Politics and music have had a strong relationship throughout history, so try one of these musically inclined feminist inspirational quotes! "My idea of feminism is self-determination, and it’s very open-ended: every woman has the right to become herself, and do whatever she needs to do." -Ani DiFranco “Who run the world? Girls.” -Beyoncé “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” -Dolly Parton For the Comedy Enthusiast… Maybe it's trailblazing women in the male-dominated world of comedy who motivate and inspire you. Bedeck your graduation cap with one of these (admittedly wordy, but worth it) quotes from Tina Fey or Amy Schumer. "I say if I'm beautiful. I say if I'm strong. You will not determine my story — I will." -Amy Schumer "Don’t waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions; go over, under, through, and opinions will change organically when you’re the boss." -Tina Fey "Let me take a minute to say that I love bossy women... for me, a bossy woman is someone to search out and celebrate. A bossy woman is someone who cares and commits and is a natural leader." -Amy Poehler For the Bookworm… If you spent your college years devouring everything from Nora Ephron bestsellers to dense novels by Ayn Rand, why not honor one of these fearless women via your graduation cap? Or honor William Shakespeare — not a woman, but an honorary addition to this list based on some of his most famous quotes. "The question isn't who's going to let me; it's who's going to stop me." -Ayn Rand “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” -William Shakespeare “A well-read woman is a dangerous creature.” -Lisa Kleypas “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” - Nora Ephron “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” -J.K. Rowling For the TV Junkie… Shonda Rimes dominates an entire evening of network TV, and Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire. Enough said. “You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” -Shonda Rhimes “Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.” -Oprah Winfrey For the Entrepreneur… If you have dreams of striking out on your own and building a business after graduation, let these quotes from girl bosses drive you directly toward those dreams. “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.” -Estée Lauder "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different." - Coco Chanel For the Activist… These women weren’t afraid to speak up — these quotes should remind you not to cower, either. “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” -Malala Yousafzai “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” -Madeleine Albright “Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” - Hillary Clinton For Any Feminist… A famous author or politician doesn’t speak every poignant quote. Some come from unknown sources. Maybe one of these short and sweet anonymous feminist quotes would be perfect for your cap. “Behind every successful woman is herself.” -Unknown “She believed she could, so she did.” -Unknown This is just a small sampling of feminist inspirational quotes that may remind you how fierce and fearless women are on the day that you graduate. There are innumerable others from women from all walks of life. Do you have another favorite feminist inspirational quote you plan to embellish your graduation cap with?