From Gillette’s recent toxic masculinity advert and upskirting being made a criminal offence, to Prince Harry declaring himself a feminist and Glenn Close's emphasis on the importance of women’s “personal fulfilment" in her Golden Globes speech, feminism is still a massive talking point. And for good reason.
It has never been more important to keep its momentum going.
Across the UK, there are a whole host of events championing womanhood including exhibitions, walks, open mic nights, talks, and more, kicking off with the Women's March on Saturday 19 January.
We've rounded up the most important feminist events happening across the UK in 2019 so you can fight for equality every month of the year.
Diaries at the ready...
January
Women’s March on London
Women will gather again in London this weekend in the name of feminism. This year, the organisers behind the mark have agreed on the theme of Bread & Roses, taken from the 1912 rally of the same name front by American suffragette Rose Schneider.
Marchers will meet at Portland Place in Central London at 12pm and walk through the streets of the capital, finishing at Trafalgar Square for the rally. The event is expected to end around 3pm.
London; free; 19 March. Find out more here.
Ladies of Qualities & Distinction
This exhibition celebrates the hidden stories of women who supported the running of London’s Foundling Hospital, where abandoned children were housed and educated from the mid-18th century to 1951. Here you’ll find portraits of the “ladies of quality and distinction” who signed a petition for the establishment of the hospital as well as matrons, female inspectors, wet nurses and musicians who supported the day-to-day running of the institution.
London; free; until 20 January. Find out more here.
Why Every Feminist Needs To Embrace Intersectionality
Days after the Women’s March on 19 January, the Women’s Equality Party will host a talk by lawyer and march organiser, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu. In the talk, Shola will discuss the importance of intersectional feminism, highlighting the challenges and positives in the relationship between feminism, race and gender.
London; £5.83; 21 January. Find out more here.
F*ck Being Humble presents: B*tch better have my money
The majority of Brits hate to talk about money. So, that’s why this talk/workshop is dedicated to teaching guests how to negotiate their worth. From learning how to document your achievements and communicate your value, to sharing advice on how to successfully discuss salaries and day rates, think of this event as your go-to-guide to sorting your finances once and for all.
London; £10; 23 January. Find out more here.
Periods: Everything You Need to Know
The Hoxton and Project Period have teamed up to host an evening dedicated to the menstrual cycle. Expect to hear discussions covering everything from sanitary towels and tampons, to hormones and period poverty.
London; £7; 23 January. Find out more here.
Glasgow Girls
This Scottish musical drama and winner of Amnesty International’s Freedom of Expression Award 2016 is not to be missed. Based on the true story of seven Glaswegian teenagers, whose lives are turned upside down when their school friend and her asylum-seeking family are deported, the show explores the importance of fighting for others’ rights.
Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness; £18.50; 23 January – 9 February. Find out more here.
Be Your Own Sugar Daddy
Struggle with your finances? Then you might want to attend this women-only management workshop run by Black Girls Rule and presented by Abiola Olaore, the founder of financial literacy community Active Budgeter. Guests can expect to receive information and practical advice about how to save, budget, and invest, as well as learn more about debt management, property and pensions.
London; £20; 24 January. Find out more here.
February
She Grrrowls: Feminist Arts Night & Open Mic
This monthly arts night features poetry, comedy, and music, focussing on the spoken word and the varied perceptions of feminism. Created by poet, writer, and She Grrrowls founder, Carmina Masoliver, the event will see poets Katrina Quinn, Lucy Burkes, and Lina Ashour take to the mic and explore their individual definitions of women's equality.
London; £2-5; 1 February (ongoing). Find out more here.
Represent! Voices 100 Years On Exhibiton
Manchester is an important landmark for the suffrage movement, serving as the home of Emmeline's Pankhurst family.
Pay tribute to the suffragettes at this interactive exhibition located at the People’s History Museum and study the Manchester suffragette banner, sashes, brooches, photographs and cartoons from the early 20th century which help to illustrate what representation meant to women in 1918.
Manchester; free; until 3 February. Find out more here.
The Circle Presents Global Feminism: The Fashion Industry
Ahead of London Fashion Week (14-19 February), this talk – inspired by The Circle Founder Annie Lennox’s campaign to promote global feminism – will examine the need to protect and ensure the rights of women in the fashion industry. Join journalist and poet Rosalind Jana, and authors Safia Minney and Tansy Hoskins, whose works shed light on the impact of fast fashion and modern slavery for women.
London; £10; 6 February. Find out more here.
Empowering Women Workshops at The Best You EXPO 2019
Bringing together professionals passionate about living better lives, this event will include a panel series from leaders and organisations who are on a mission to empower girls and women in the workplace.
London; Free; 15-16 February. Find out more here.
Casual Co-optations And Small Subversions: Feminist Engagements With The State
In this roundtable discussion, current London School of Economics Gender PhD students will discuss feminist engagements with the state in their work. From research spanning the shaming of the state in no-border activism to gender mainstreaming of militarised institutions, the group will look at how feminist activists and academics navigate feminist politics and the potential for feminist, queer and post-colonial subversions.
London; Free; 26 February. Find out more here.
March
WOW: Women of the World Festival
Nine years after its launch, the Women of the World (WOW) festival returns this year to celebrate women and girls across the globe, coinciding with International Women’s Day 2019.
The two-day event will see political activist Angela Davis and author and filmmaker Naomi Klein take to the stage, as well as talks and workshops looking at gender politics and the barriers preventing women and girls from finding true equality.
London; Prices vary; 8-9 March. Find out more information here.
Tech(k)now Day
It’s a well-known (and disheartening) fact that women are under-represented in the STEM sector.
So, that’s why Tech(k)now day has been created a space for women to learn new tech skills and gain tech startup advice. Better still, if you’re a woman founder or woman co-founder of a startup, you’re entitled to apply for a free exhibition space. Expect workshops on Python, Android 101, Javascript, and beginner HTML/CSS.
London; £35-99; 9 March. Find out more information here.
Votes for Women
Marking the centenary of women’s enfranchisement, the Museum of London is hosting an exhibition commemorating the women who campaigned over 50 years to achieve votes for women. Iconic objects from the Museum’s vast Suffragette collection, including Emmeline Pankhurst’s hunger strike medal, will be on display, as well as a documentary about the lives of some lesser-known suffragettes.
London; free; until 10 March. Find out more here.
Women Who Shaped Manchester
Shedding light on some of the most important women from Manchester who helped transform the future of women’s suffrage, the John Rylands Library's exhibition perfectly captures the individuals’ passion and strength. Read Emmeline Pankhurst’s inspiring letter that called to those prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of equality, and admire the scroll presented to Enriqueta Rylands, the first freewoman of the City of Manchester.
Manchester; free; until 10 March. Find out more here.
Black Power Women of Brixton walk
Women’s role in the fight for black civil and equal rights in Britain has been severely marginalised. This walk through Brixton, London will show the life, stories, and activities of numerous African/Caribbean women in the area. Documenting the anti-racist fight in housing, education and politics from the 1950's to the 1980's, the two hour and 15 minute walk will cover newspaper publisher and campaigner Claudia Jones, the Depo Provera birth control scandal, the Black Panther Women of Brixton and more.
London; £10; 10 March. Find out more here.
NYALitFest - Feminism & Fantasy Panel
The Northern YA Literary Festival invites authors Samantha Shannon, Laure Eve, Melinda Salisbury and Rose Edwards to discuss the world of feminist fantasy.
Expect conversations surrounding gender inequality and sexuality.
Preston; Free; 16 March. Find out more here.
A Feminist’s Guide to Dinosaurs
Mix your passion for gender equality and palaeontology at The Big Art Herstory Project’s guided tour at London’s Natural History Museum.
From Mary Ann Woodhouse Mantell, a competitor for the first discoverer of the first dinosaur, to the first known black geologist Marguerite Thomas Williams, visitors will learn about the pioneering women barred from the Geological Society and the ongoing battles women in the industry continue to face.
An afternoon drawing class will also be led by resident feminist drawing tutor, Luisa-Maria MacCormack, who will guide participants through artistic exercises such as drawing from textures, layers, and fossils.
London; £32.03; until 16 March. Find out more here.
Stories Of Women 2019
As part of Women's History Month, Southwark Cathedral invites you to enjoy a day of talks exploring women’s history. Author Jennifer Potter will explore the true stories of young English women traded for tobacco in early Virginia, while writer Naomi Clifford will touch on the hanging of Eliza Fenning following a controversial poisoning trial.
London; £10-12.50; 23 March. Find out more here.
Women Power Protest
Celebrate a plethora of contemporary female artists who explore protest, social commentary and identity in their work at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery this March.
Featuring the works of Susan Hiller and Lubaina Himid as well as more controversial artists such as Sam Taylor-Johnson and Sonia Boyce, the exhibition examines both the difficult and genius behind their artworks.
Birmingham; free; until 31 March. Find out more here.
April
Make Her Mark
Belfast’s Ulster Museum’s new print exhibition recognises the crucial impact women artists had on the history of printmaking. Previously excluded from commercial printmaking, the exhibition looks at the many female artists – from wood gravers and linoprinters – showcasing how they changed the world of the practice and gained financial independence in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Belfast; free; until 14 April. Find out more here.
We will be updating this article with more events in the following months.
