There are so many apps out there to download, so it makes sense that there are feminist apps people can use. These can range from informational apps to women’s health apps to even games.
In 2018, in a time where feminism is kind of on the forefront due to the current political climate and the issue of sexual harassment finally coming to light, here are some the best feminist apps for people to have on their phone.
1. Flo/Clue
Even if you barely use it at all, you need to have a period tracker app because without it, your monthly cycle will always be a surprise rather than an expectation. My personal favorite is Flo but Clue is also a really good option to download as well. Even if all you do is log when your period starts and stops, that’s still important because you won’t be blindsided by your period every month.
Both Flo and Clue also allow for the logging of any and all period symptoms, receiving period predictions and getting calendar reminders for your period. There are also options to track your ovulations and to get an analysis about your period.
Also, both apps allow for general health tracking such as your sleep, water intake, exercise and more if that is something you’d like to be able to do. Bottom line, a period tracker definitely falls into the category of feminist apps because you are owning your period by recognizing it, tracking it and not being ashamed of it despite the ridiculous stigma attached to your monthly visit from “aunt Flo.”
2. Circle of 6
Even though it’s unpleasant to think about, you need to consider your safety when going out with friends, on a date or just walking on campus late at night. Circle of 6 is an app that helps you notify six people of your choosing a message automatically when you find yourself in a risky or uncomfortable situation.
The app will also include your GPS location when you notify your personal circle. Circle of 6 can also call two pre-programmed national hotlines or your local emergency services when necessary if you find yourself in critical situations.
People can look up health and relationship information if needed and students who go to UCLA, Williams College, Hobart & William Smith or the University of Houston can download Circle of 6 U, which is a customized version of the general app for those schools.
3. Tampon Run
Everyone needs a game on their phone, whether it’s solitaire, “Angry Birds” or “Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.” Games are a much-needed escape for college students when they get stressed out or need to kill time, allowing them to relax and refocus. If you’re looking for a feminist app that’s a game, look no further than “Tampon Run.”
“Tampon Run” is an 8-bit style game where the premise is to defeat period haters by throwing tampons at them and making sure they don’t take the tampons you do have. This game is delightfully feminist and rather addicting after playing it a few times. It was created by two high schoolers (who are now currently college students) to combat period stigma and you can read more about them here.
4. Hollaback!
During a time of heightened awareness about the harassment women face daily, “Hollaback!” aims to end street harassment around the world by allowing women to share their stories of street harassment by pinning it on a map where it happened. This app allows women to be aware of places where street harassment is particularly rampant and share their experience.
“Hollaback!” does allow for users to maintain anonymity if they choose to as well as list the type of harassment they experienced such as being followed, verbal abuse, inappropriate touching, etc. Witnesses can also report street harassment if they see it and allows people to give support to those who have experienced street harassment. This app is one of the more blatantly feminist apps on the list because its aim is to end street harassment, a problem that 85 percent of U.S. women first report experiencing before the age of 17 and 67 percent of students report experiencing on their college campus.
5. Gender Fair
If being aware of companies that do or don’t support women is intriguing to you, then this app is one you should download. “Gender Fair” collects data on companies, tracking their record in supporting or not supporting women, from female leadership numbers, maternity leave policies, any offensive commercials to if they donate money for women’s philanthropy. “Gender Fair” has collected data on over 130 companies and users can also choose companies that offer products that are fair trade, non-GMO and more depending on what they care about.
This app rates its companies in an easy to read A, B, C format and you can send feedback to companies that have low scores or congratulate those who have high scores. If you want to know about a specific industry, there’s a way to find top companies ranging from retail to technology.
“Gender Fair” also shows companies’ recent advertisements to highlight how companies deal with gender stereotypes in how they advertise. All these things make “Gender Fair” a pretty great feminist app if you are adamant about supporting feminist companies.
6. We the People
Being knowledgeable about politics is most definitely feminist because when you have the ability to make informed decisions, it feels extremely empowering. Therefore, political apps are also feminist apps. “We the People” is a political app that lets you answer weekly political polls, anonymously discuss politics with other users and read top news stories and tweets from public officials.
“We the People” also allows you to see the results of their polls on a map of the U.S. and you can see what people in your particular community think about a poll question. Another feature of this app is in answering polls and discussing politics with other users is anonymous and the map is worldwide so you don’t just get to see the opinions of Americans.
7. Countable
Although not strictly a feminist app, “Countable” is probably the best app for staying politically informed as you can get information about issues in the news right away, get notifications about votes coming up, see how your positions align with your lawmakers’ and get in touch with your representatives through calling them or sending video messages.
This app strives to be non-partisan so it offers both sides of the argument and isn’t biased in their summaries of news stories and legislation. “Countable” also has a community section where you can discuss political issues and opinions with other users.
