Soraya Chemaly
Soraya Chemaly is an award-winning author and activist, she writes and speaks frequently on topics related to gender norms, inclusivity, social justice, free speech, sexualized violence, and technology. She is the director and co-founder of WMC Speech Project and has long been committed to expanding women’s civic and political participation.
Soraya is also the author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, which has been translated into several languages, and a contributor to multiple anthologies, most recently Free Speech in the Digital Age and Believe Me: How Trusting Women Can Change The World. Her work as a writer, activist, and organizer is featured widely in media, books, and academic research.
Prior to 2010, Ms. Chemaly spent more than fifteen years as a market development executive and consultant in the media and data technology industries. After several years in market development at the Gannett Corporation, she moved into the datatech sector at Claritas, ending her tenure there as SVP of Marketing Strategy.
Soraya currently serves on the national boards of the Women's Media Center, Women in Journalism, and the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project. She has also served on the boards of Women, Action and the advisory councils of the Center for Democracy and Technology, VIDA, Secular Woman, FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, No Bully, and Common Sense Media DC. As an activist, Ms. Chemaly has spearheaded successful campaigns challenging corporations to address online abuse, restrictive content moderation and censorship, and institutional biases that affect free speech.
In 2013, Soraya won the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s (AEJMC)'s Award for Feminist Advocacy and the Secular Woman Activism Award. In 2014, she was named one of Elle Magazine's 25 Inspiring Women to Follow in social media, and, in 2016, the recipient of the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press’s Women and Media Award. In 2017, she was the co-recipient of the Newhouse Mirror Award for Best Single Feature of 2016 for an in-depth investigative report on free speech and social media, and a Wikipedia Distinguished Service Award for exemplary contributions to the advancement of public knowledge and educational content. In 2019, she was awarded the Feminist Press’ Feminist Power Award.
The discussion around Rep. Katie Hill's resignation has mostly missed the truths about the crime that was committed against her.
Robin on GOP suicide, MeToo's span from China to Antarctica, Cosby in handcuffs, and the rising of a global political force. Guest: Soraya Chemaly, on reclaiming social media and on her timely new book, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger.
Women are taught that expressions of anger are unwelcome and unacceptable. Gadsby and Turner, each in her own way, are defying expectations.
Earlier this year, in a little remarked upon episode, the nation was exposed to how differently men and women politicians are treated in media. In September, Senator John McCain was showered with accolades after he voted against his party’s attempt to repeal Obamacare and urged his peers to espouse cross-party conciliation. McCain’s Johnny-Come-Lately stake in the ground came, however, in the wake of the consistent, longer-standing, and defiant intra-party opposition of two other Republican Senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who were motivated, in part by their pro-choice stance.
Wendy Davis, Angela Angel, Marilyn Mosby, Kim Weaver, Rina Shah Bharara, Stephanie Roman, Katherine Clark, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen discuss online harassment #NameItChangeIt
Last Wednesday, the New York Times published an article in which 74-year old Jessica Leeds described Donald Trump, with whom she was sharing a flight 30 years ago, grabbing her breasts and attempting to put his hand up her skirt. One day later, one of Fox Business’ most popular hosts, Lou Dobbs, retweeted a tweet […]
A teen religious dissenter, forced to flee her country, now speaks out against religious fundamentalism.
After the appointment of another male managing editor last week at The Washington Post, Soraya Chemaly calls out the continuing lack of women decision makers in media.
The Court reversed a conviction, but avoided First Amendment questions. Two feminist legal experts weigh in on what yesterday’s Elonis decision means.
"One of the ideas we’ve had is that feminism is whatever people say it is or what it is for themselves, which is a nice idea but not a political idea. My feminism challenges institutions to change." Soraya Chemaly