WMC Press Releases

Lindy West Wins Women's Media Center Social Media Award

Jane Fonda Presents Award At Women’s Media Center Awards in New York

New York, NY – Lindy West, a humorist, cultural critic and body positive activist who currently works as a staff writer at Jezebel, received the Women’s Media Center’s Social Media Award at the Women’s Media Center Awards in New York City. Lindy specializes in salient but humorous essays on gender dynamics, social justice, politics, comedy and human bodies. Her work dissects cultural moments, and she uses her social media outreach to draw attention to problematic work, epitomizing the activism this award represents.

Jane Fonda, two-time Academy® Award-winning actress, humanitarian, activist and Co-Founder of The Women’s Media Center, presented Lindy with the award and remarked on Lindy’s resilience in the face of opposition to her work.

“When Lindy spoke up to explain to comedians why their jokes about rape might not always be so funny, she received rape threats just for voicing her opinion on the subject,” she said. “Lucky for us and for everyone, Lindy hasn’t let the negativity stop her from being funny, smart and insightful about comedy, media and everything else.”

“The real honor, to me, is just to be nominated alongside all of these amazing women--to have my name on a list next to theirs,” West said at the event. “I hear a lot these days about the lazy, aimless ‘millennials’ -- about how all we want to do is sit around twerking our iPods and Tweedling our Kardashians -- and I also hear people asking, ‘Where is the next generation of the social justice movement? Where are all the young feminists and womanists and activists?’ Dude, they're on the internet. They're working their asses off. And if you can't hear them, it's because you're not listening.”

The Women's Media Center Social Media Award celebrates media makers and activists who use the Internet to advance women's representation in media and advocate for social and equal justice. 

“Lindy was chosen by voters on the Women’s Media Center website from a group of 12 nominees,” says Julie Burton, President of the Women’s Media Center. “Every nominee on this list uses her voice and social media to elevate women's issues.  We are so pleased to present this award to Lindy in recognition of her tremendous skill as a writer and an advocate.  Her writing brings insight and discussion to important issues.”

The other 11 nominees for the Women’s Media Center’s annual Social Media Award were:

  • Joz Wang, editor-in-chief- and CEO of 8Asians.com
  • Wagatwe Wanjuki, founder and owner of F#*@ Yeah Feminists!
  • Shanelle Matthews, journalist, blogger, and online strategist for the ACLU of Northern California
  • Patricia Valoy, Dominican women’s rights advocate, blogger, and radio host, as well as a Civil Engineer, Janine Brito, writer, stand-up comic, and on-air correspondent on FX’s “Totally Biased”
  • Renee Davidson, feminist activist, writer, and Communications Director for Collective Action for Safe Spaces
  • T.F. Charlton, writer and editor of Are Women Human?
  • Sandra Criswell, reproductive justice organizer in Oklahoma and Kansas
  • Hannah Jacobs, activist against hate speech targeting special needs and disability and founder of Family Member Inc.
  • Adrienne Keene, activist author of the blog Native Appropriations
  • Tamura A. Lomax, CEO and co-founder of the international feminist news site The Feminist Wire

The Women’s Media Center Social Media Award was presented to Lindy at the Women’s Media Center Awards in New York City. At the event, the Women’s Media Center also recognized other women in media for their accomplishments. Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent for CNN and Global Affairs anchor at ABC News, received the WMC Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award — The award was presented by WMC Board Chair Emerita Pat Mitchell. Sheila C. Johnson received the WMC Visionary Role Model and Corporate Leader Award for her diverse work in media, including founding Black Entertainment Television and executive producing “Lee Daniels' The Butler” — she received the award from WMC Co-Founder Gloria Steinem. Maria Teresa Kumar, Emmy- nominated contributor for MSNBC, and President and CEO of Voto Latino, received the WMC Carol Jenkins Emerging Journalist Award — WMC Former and Founding President Carol Jenkins presented the award. MAKERS, the documentary and digital platform featuring the largest video archive of thousands of women and their compelling stories received the WMC Multi-Media Award for Groundbreaking Contribution to Women, History and America — WMC Co-Founder Robin Morgan presented the award. Mary Thom (in memoriam) was honored with the first Mary Thom Art of Editing Award — Martha Nelson, Editor In Chief of Time, Inc presented the award.

The Women's Media Center works to make women and girls visible and powerful in the media through strategic programs aimed at transforming the media landscape including media training, media monitoring and activism, promotion of women in media, original media content, media reports, media programs & initiatives. The organization was founded in 2005 by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem.

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