Picture a British activist who turned everyday frustrations into a global movement—meet Laura Bates! Born in 1986, this feminist writer and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project has spent over a decade challenging gender inequality with wit, courage, and a knack for storytelling. From her bestselling books to her worldwide impact, Bates is a voice for change, proving that one person’s spark can ignite a revolution.
Her journey began with a simple idea: to give women a platform to share their experiences of sexism. What started as a website in 2012 became a cultural phenomenon, collecting over 200,000 testimonies and inspiring millions. Let’s dive into the life, works, and legacy of this trailblazing storyteller.
The Making of Laura Bates
Laura Carolyn Bates grew up in London’s Hackney and Taunton, shaped by a family of educators and physicians. With a love for words, she studied English literature at St John’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 2007. After a stint researching for an updated edition of The Joy of Sex, Bates worked as an actress and nanny, where she encountered the subtle and overt sexism that would later fuel her activism. These experiences planted the seeds for her groundbreaking Everyday Sexism Project, launched after a particularly frustrating week of harassment in 2012.
Laura Bates’s Unforgettable Works
Bates’s writing blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling, making complex issues like misogyny feel personal and urgent. Her debut, Everyday Sexism (2014), is a powerful manifesto born from her project, weaving real-life stories with data to expose the pervasiveness of gender inequality. It became a bestseller, lauded as a “game-changer” by Cosmopolitan for sparking a new wave of feminism.
Her follow-up, Girl Up (2016), is a vibrant survival guide for teenage girls, tackling body image, online abuse, and workplace bias with humor and heart. A Sunday Times bestseller, it’s a rallying cry for young women to reclaim their power. In Men Who Hate Women (2020), Bates dives into the dark world of incels and online misogyny, earning praise from The Guardian for its fearless investigation. Her 2022 book, Fix the System, Not the Women, dismantles myths about women’s complicity in systemic sexism, inspiring a national anti-misogyny campaign. Bates also ventured into fiction with The Burning (2019), a young adult novel exploring slut-shaming and witch trials, blending her activism with gripping narrative.
Her latest, The New Age of Sexism (2025), tackles how technology perpetuates gender bias, cementing her role as a forward-thinking critic. Bates’s style—direct, empathetic, and unflinchingly honest—makes her work both a call to action and a comforting embrace for readers facing similar struggles.
Why Laura Bates Matters
Laura Bates has redefined modern feminism by giving voice to the voiceless. The Everyday Sexism Project has not only amplified women’s stories but also influenced policy, from police training with British Transport Police to international discussions at the United Nations. Her books have become touchstones for activists, educators, and readers, inspiring countless women to speak out. Awarded a British Empire Medal in 2015 and named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Bates’s impact transcends borders, proving that collective storytelling can drive systemic change.
About Laura Bates
- Born: August 27, 1986, in Oxford, England
- Key Works: Everyday Sexism (2014), Girl Up (2016), Men Who Hate Women (2020), Fix the System, Not the Women (2022)
- Awards: British Empire Medal (2015), Cosmopolitan’s Ultimate New Feminist Award (2013), Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (2018)
- Fun Fact: Bates’s project inspired a global movement, with branches in 25 countries!
Ready to join the revolution? Snag Everyday Sexism or Girl Up and dive into Laura Bates’s bold, inspiring world of feminist storytelling!