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Feminist at the media forefront.
When we asked Liz Plank, fab feminst, meme maker, and Senior Correspondent and producer for Vox Media a time in her life when she thought, “I can’t do this anymore," she responded: “Like five minutes ago."
As the voice of millennial feminism on Vox, Plank is on the forefront, determined to educate young people and let them know how much they matter. With a masters in gender and social policy, she has a commanding grasp over issues that affect young people, but she likewise has a mastery over creating viral videos; one of the most useful tools to reach Millennials. “Their voice matters,” says Liz about the much lambasted generation, “and if they don’t use it, they are letting someone else speak for them.”
She’s learned the ropes from mentors: Rachel Sklar and Glynnis MacNicol, whom Liz credits as two of her best friends. “They were one of the first people I was introduced to in New York and gave me the confidence of a mediocre white man,” she says. "They built a platform called The Li.st that helps women connect and empower each other, and they've built a community that's been extremely supportive and helpful for me."
The aforementioned saying also happens to be Liz's favorite life advice: “Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.” (Noted.)
"Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.”
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The champion of a feminist awakening maintains that for “far too long, we’ve let non-feminists frame the work of feminists. I think we are all feminists, we just don’t know it yet." And taking a neutral position is not in the cards. “I consider fighting for the equal rights of all human beings the neutral position and anyone who deviates from that has to explain why. I find it weird that activists are the ones who have to explain why they fight for justice. I want to know why you're not fighting.”
Though she won't mute her voice, she isn't opposed to compromise, especially when it leads to better outcomes. “Regardless of the industry you're working in, if you're never making compromises, then you're doing something wrong. Although I'm a very stubborn person, I'm also highly trusting of others (sometimes to my fault) and I've been lucky to work with people who I can put all my faith in. That's how you make the best shit happen. By working with people who challenge you to be better.”