Kat George | October 8, 2014 8:00 am

In the past, feminism in the mainstream media has been quite polarizing, with many equating the movement with an aggressive man-hating (which obviously just isn’t right). But this year, celebrities have been rallying behind the feminist produce and doing what they can to detach negative stigmas from the word and its associated beliefs. The latest celeb to fight the feminist fight is Emma Watson, who spoke before the United Nations in September and implored men and women alike to adopt feminist principles — namely, equality between the sexes and the breaking down of toxic stereotypes.

2014 isn’t quite over yet, but feminism has been the hot topic for celebs. From Taylor Swift‘s most recent defection to the feminist camp on French-Canadian TV to Amy Poehler‘s consistent fleeting of the feminist flag, it’s been a good year for the ladies. But it’s not just women who have something to say about female empowerment and gender equality — there are many men who are just as open about declaring themselves feminists. Leave it to Aziz Ansari to use Beyoncé and Jay Z to help clarify what feminism means. Click through our gallery and feel inspired by the best celebrity feminist quotes of 2014 (so far).

Tags: Emma Watson, Amy Poehler, Joseph Gordon-Levitt