Feminist Role Model

In the beginning of the semester, we talked about whether Sarah Palin was a feminist, and whether her public persona helped or hurt feminism. Personally I am not sure of the best answer to this concerning Palin, but it does make me wonder who are the best role models of feminism?

I know that men can definitely be feminists, but I am going to limit this pool to women role models for now.

Who has exemplified and furthered feminism in our time? Should we measure women by their success, career choice, celebrity, philanthropy, education...? Has Hilary Clinton or Oprah had a more positive effect on feminism in the public eye? What about celebrities today, who are completely worshipped by the media and the public? Do any of them further the cause of feminism?

I'm sure there are many examples, and my choice of role model reflects my own personal bias, but I believe that Audrey Hepburn was a woman who encouraged feminism and is a good role model for the feminist movement. 

Feminists are stereotypically too "rough around the edges" and have rejected their femininity. Audrey's public image never had this problem. Through her entire career in the spotlight, Audrey maintained an image of conservative class and grace. Unlike many female actresses in her time (ie Marilyn Monroe) she never exploited her sexuality or used it as a means to success. She kept her femininity and used her fashion sense to create a persona that persons admired and respected. Although Audrey's characters were sometimes depicted as subservient to their male counterparts(i.e. My "Fair" Lady), they always had "a mind of their own" and demanded respect (Eliza Doolittle's final song in My Fair Lady establishes her independence from her male counterpart and teacher, Henry Higgins. Its main chorus is, "I can do without you!"). Also, she never played roles that degraded her gender or sexuality. 

I believe Audrey Hepburn is a good feminist role model for more than her movie star status. Later in her life, Audrey dedicated herself to philanthropy. Audrey did more than just write a check, she actually travelled to impoverished places around the world and worked hands on in their communities to improve the standard of living. She also used her fame to increase awareness of global poverty and raised money to help different causes.

There are many women who have furthered the cause of feminism around the world. I think Audrey Hepburn (who also happens to be my favorite actress/icon of all time) is a less common, but important example.