Rachel Bloom – Writer & Actor
Rachel Bloom is the amazing and multi-talented driving force behind the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The actress/comedian/singer/songwriter has used the TV show’s platform on the CW to push the boundaries of representation over its
Gina Martin – Activist
Gina Martin is a creative, a campaigner and a chic earring enthusiast who rocks the Instagram world through her pastel posts and uplifting yet starkly natural Instagram stories. Through coining the hashtag ‘#bethechange’ and managing to pass a law against up-skirting, she is the epitome of the modern woman (if there even is one). Gina shares rawness like no other, through her relentless Instagram stories documenting the challenging realities of passing a law, and the everyday struggles of being a woman, from protesting outside
Shonda Rhimes – Showrunner
No list about women in media can be complete without Shonda Rhimes. As the showrunner for some of the biggest shows on television, including the likes of Private Practice, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder and, of course, Grey’s Anatomy – which just made history as the longest-running primetime medical drama – her phenomenal has changed the landscape of pop culture for the better. With diverse casts and well-written stories, Rhimes has created some of the most compelling characters to grace the small screen, including Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), and Annalise Keating (Viola Davis). Rhimes’ commitment to diversity and complexity in her work makes every project one worth watching.
Ash Sarkar – Journalist
Even in 2019, it isn’t as rare as it should be to see panels on political news programmes completely made up of stuffy white men, spouting their party line or cliché sound bites with a demeanour of dour pomposity. However, thanks to
Ruby Tandoh – TV Personality
After coming to prominence in 2013 as a runner-up in The Great British Bake-Off, Ruby Tandoh made her rise from reality-TV contestant to powerful culinary reformer seem like a cakewalk. An ardent critic of the food representation in the media, her work in dismantling the dangerous body-shaming often found in food writing and “wellness” culture is truly enlightening. Her decision to step down from her post at The Guardian due to the “elitist” nature of the industry, proves her convictions aren’t just filled with empty calories. If that wasn’t enough for Tandoh to earn a spot on this list, she also launched the zine ‘Do What You Want’, a publication focused on mental health, with all profits going to charity. It’s no wonder she was voted GBBO’s favourite past contestant.
Constance Wu – Actor
Best known for her role in the comedy series Fresh Off The Boat and the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, Constance Wu is an actress who has consistently been outspoken about social issues including sexism, whitewashing, and the lack of Asian representation in Hollywood. Wu has a history of using her social media accounts as a platform to call out social injustice and drive conversations about topics that would otherwise be brushed under the rug. Though this outspoken nature of hers has resulted in loss of offered roles and parts, it does not stop her. She declared, “I’m a woman & human first. That’s what my craft is built on.” While recently she has been less expressive on social media, Wu continues to speak on important social injustices through other channels, such as interviews, and is an incredibly inspiring and courageous woman.
Delphie Bond, Alex Gibbon, Mary Yeh & Jade Verbick
Images: Daria Kobayashi Ritch, AFP/Getty Images, Michael Rowe, zedbooks.net, Independent, Gabriel Olsen