Every Wednesday, you open your Instagram and scroll through your feed. What do you see? Usually the most recent antics of celebrities and friends are noted first, followed by the onslaught of “#wcw” posts that follow. #Wcw, otherwise known as “Woman Crush Wednesday,” is the female counterpart to the common “#mcm” or “Man Candy Monday.” These terms popularized on Twitter and Instagram, and are used to recognize and celebrate the men and women we appreciate in our lives on those respective days (because alliterations, or catchy almost-alliterations, are apparently very fun).
Common examples of Women Crush Wednesdays include a guy or girl showcasing a photo of his or her significant other, or best friend. Even more common are artsy photos of popular female celebrities, who are celebrated primarily for their beauty in these photos. When we think of these #WCW posts, however, it seems most common that we see posts of Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, or Lana Del Rey. While these women have become “famous,” there is an important question to ask: Why? Why are these women idealized and praised in such ways? Are they worth our devotion and promotion?
Before you post your next #wcw, think about what kind of person and what kind of industry you’re promoting. If you’re in need of inspiration, here are five female celebrities who are changing the game by using their status for good.
1. Jennifer Lawrence
JLaw has taken over the spotlight ever since her debut in The Hunger Games, and continued to steal hearts everywhere through a combination of her quick wit, down-to-earth personality, and the way she outwardly battles common celebrity standards for unnatural perfection. Lawrence created her own foundation, simply titled the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation, through which she raises money and donates to various charities. As of February 12th, Lawrence announced that Kosair Children’s Hospital in Kentucky will receive a donation of $2 million to open a cardiac intensive care unit. When talent meets charity in all the right ways, it’s something worth celebrating.
2. Lupita Nyong’o
Nyong’o first projected herself onto the world’s stage through her incredibly acting role and award nominations in 12 Years a Slave (2013). While Nyong’o’s fame has seemed short-lived, she’s still making headlines, using her voice for good. Her thoughts on charity, kindness, and fashion have encouraged countless people to remember that they are all worthy of love, respect, and appreciation. Nyong’o preaches messages that inspire mindfulness and love. Not only that, but Nyong’o has taken to an accessible and effective medium – Instagram – to share her thoughts on race and inclusion about this year’s Academy Awards.
While race issues with the Oscars are often controversial, as a woman of color, Nyong’o is expressing how she feels, and it’s worth a listen. It’s important to remember that just because we may not witness outward and blunt racism in our own communities, that unconscious racism isn’t a struggle being fought against everyday. Through her activism, Nyong’o reminds us that racism is a reality, and the struggle isn’t over yet.
3. Emma Watson
Watson, most commonly noted for her role as Hermione in the Harry Potter film series, became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations in 2014. Since that time, Watson has spoken outwardly against sexism in all its forms, and launched HeForShe, an initiative that engages both men and women to come together in the fight against gender inequality. Watson recently spoke with bell hooks for Paper Magazine’s “Girl Crush” Series, where she talked about taking a yearlong break from acting in order to focus on her feminism studies and learning. Mentioning that she had briefly considered spending the year doing gender studies, Watson decided to stay on her current path of reading up and listening to the first-hand stories of those around her. While it seems to become clear each day that Watson, as a childhood star, may have found a more personal niche for herself as a feminism activist, we support her in whatever path she follows. We’d call it ‘girl power,’ but that’s not quite what feminism is about. Here’s to Emma Watson, and a future of equality brought on by her efforts.
4. Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande’s work with charity offers a refreshing perspective in the sense that she’s not selling out. By focusing on a smaller but still incredibly significant cause, Grande has displayed that her philanthropy isn’t just to please her fans; it stays true to who she is. Grande has teamed up with BarkBox, an organization that supports shelters, rescues, and non-profits across the U.S., and sells boxes of themed, natural dog treats each month. In addition, Grande currently has seven of her own rescue dogs, and often pays the adoption fees for other pets so that they might be rescued from shelters, as well. In the past, she has made arrangements so that her fans could even sign adoption papers for puppies while at her concerts. In an interview with Ray Rogers, Grande talked about making music, performing and acting as fun, but “without using my voice, I’ll feel like I’m doing this for no reason.” Grande battles the sexist remarks she faces in many of her interviews. That’s something worth Instagramming for.
5. Ellen DeGeneres
We often forget that celebrities worth recognizing don’t have to be overly youthful, trendy, or musically talented. Ellen DeGeneres, one of the highest-paid TV personalities, makes sure to give back everyday. Recorded as having donated to 45 different charities, ranging from cancer and AIDS research to societies for animal rights and the homeless, DeGeneres should be recognized for her donations and philanthropic endeavors. Beyond the donations she extends to charities throughout the U.S., DeGeneres frequently rewards kind and hard-working, seemingly ordinary people that she brings onto her talk show. As a celebrity, DeGeneres stands as a testament to the fact that you don’t have to be a person of overwhelming notability or prestige in order to make a difference; and for this, she happens to be one.
Additionally, DeGeneres promotes humor purely to make others happy: “Most comedy is based on getting a laugh at somebody else’s expense. And I find that that’s just a form of bullying in a major way. So I want to be an example that you can be funny and be kind, and make people laugh without hurting somebody else’s feelings.” DeGeneres has used her status and platform to show that anyone is capable of helping others, and she does this best through donations and laughter. She reminds her viewers at the end of each day’s show to simply “Be kind to one another.” #wcw? More like woman crush everyday.
With these influential women – all of whom promote various causes and come from various backgrounds – in mind, it’s important to remember that those we promote on social media says a lot about who we are. The lonely girl aesthetic, a fashionably big butt, or a lot of money and natural talent might seem like strong criteria for a #wcw, but it’s important to remember what that there are people and causes truly worth our admiration.