Celebrate International Women’s Day With the Strong, Powerful Women of PETA

International Women’s Day, March 8, is a day for women to celebrate the many victories that we have achieved in our fight for equality, to honor all the gutsy gals who made it happen, and to collaborate to make the future bright for girls.

PETA has been proud to work with many powerful women of every age, race, and sexual orientation to help animals. The following brazen beauties used their most valuable asset—their minds—to speak up for the oppressed because, as Dr. Jane Goodall so eloquently put it, “If we do not do something to help these creatures, we make a mockery of the whole concept of justice”:

1. Variety magazine honored Lea Michele at its annual Power of Women celebration for her work with PETA. 

2. Joan Jett is a feminist icon—and she rocks for animals, too.

3. Not only does Taraji P. Henson have an angelic face, she also is an angel for our sisters in the animal kingdom, too.

4. Marlen Esparza is tough on her opponents and tough on cruelty.

5. Of course, women excel in science—and as Torrey DeVitto points out, they can do it humanely, too.

6. The list of PETA Honorary Director Pamela Anderson’s brave acts for animals is endless. She proves that women can have beauty, brains, and brawn.

7. The fierce Kate del Castillo uses her powerful persona to help the defenseless.

8. WNBA star Candace Parker won’t let male ballers soak up all the glory—and she won’t let people glorify fur, either.

9. Ending cruelty and sexism? Jorja Fox is on the case.

10. Wendy Williams knows that women don’t have to fit a cookie-cutter image to be a true beauty.  

Girl power!