34 Celebrities Share Feminist Quotes on Love and Marriage

women's history month — Art by Tiana Crispino

Love and marriage go hand in hand, as do equality and respect. In many relationships, although not all, women often lose sight of their value after settling with a partner. Of course, it's amazing to find a significant other who views you as an equal, but it's important to always keep in mind that you're worth your weight in gold all by yourself. In this new age of feminism, women are urged more than ever to celebrate their strength, knowledge, and perseverance. So, in honor of Women's History Month, we've compiled some of our favorite feminist quotes on love, relationships, and marriage to empower and inspire.

01 of 34

Kamala Harris

“One of the things that really allows us to get through these moments that are obviously very stressful—we’re talking about the future of the free world—it’s important to be able to laugh at yourself and each other. We do a healthy amount of both of that. We don’t take ourselves too seriously in the context of our relationship. You can’t. You just have to flow and know what’s really important.”

02 of 34

Gloria Steinem

“Being married is like having somebody permanently in your corner. It feels limitless, not limited.”

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Helen Gurley Brown

"Rich or poor, you have a better chance of keeping him—and keeping him interested—if you belong to something or someone besides him."

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

“A woman at a certain age who is unmarried, our society teaches her to see it as a deep personal failure. And a man, after a certain age isn’t married, we just think he hasn’t come around to making his pick.”

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Emma Watson

“I like men with quick wit, good conversation, and a great sense of humor. I love banter. I want a man to like me for me; I want him to be authentic.”

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Martha Gellhorn

“I know enough to know that no woman should ever marry a man who hated his mother.”

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Frida Kahlo

“Fall in love with yourself, with life, and then with whoever you want.”

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Cher

"The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing—and then marry him."

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Beyoncé

“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”

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Eartha Kitt

“I fall in love with myself, and I want someone to share it with me. And I want someone to share me, with me.”

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Audre Lorde

"You have to learn to love yourself before you can love me or accept my loving.”

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Jennifer Aniston

“We don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own ‘happily ever after’ for ourselves.”

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Oprah Winfrey

“Don’t settle for a relationship that won’t let you be yourself.”

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Hailee Steinfeld

“I believe in the power of self-love. I’ve learned that one of the biggest struggles people have in life is accepting themselves for who they are.”

15 of 34

Sheryl Sandberg

"The most important career choice you'll make is who you marry. I have an awesome husband, and we're 50/50."

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Toni Morrison

"You think he belongs to you because you want to belong to him. Don't. It's a bad word, 'belong.' Especially when you put it with somebody you love. Love shouldn't be like that."

17 of 34

Shonda Rimes

“Don’t let what he wants eclipse what you need. He is very dreamy but is not the sun. You are.”

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Zoe Saldana

"If you are not happy with a person, leave. And wait until you find that one person who makes you feel good about yourself every single day and is not expecting you to change but to grow."

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Diane von Furstenberg

“The most important relationship you have in life is the one you have with yourself. And then after that, I’d say once you have that, it may be hard work, but you can actually design your life.”

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Jennifer Lopez

"You've got to love yourself first. You've got to be OK on your own before you can be OK with somebody else. You've got to value yourself and know that you're worth everything."

21 of 34

Michelle Obama

"It’s important to marry somebody who is your equal and to marry somebody and to be with somebody who wants you to win as much as you want them to win."

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Meghan Markle

"I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship."

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg

"If you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it. I had a life partner who thought my work was as important as his, and I think that made all the difference for me."

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Lady Gaga

"Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore."

25 of 34

Jamie Chung

“The narrative needs to change. Asian American actresses don’t want to be the damsels in distress anymore. We don’t want to be saved.”

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Simone de Beauvoir

"I am too intelligent, too demanding, and too resourceful for anyone to be able to take charge of me entirely. No one knows me or loves me completely. I have only myself."

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Mindy Kaling

"I don’t need marriage. I don’t need anyone to take care of all my needs and desires. I can take care of them myself now."

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Ariana Grande

"I’ve never looked at love as something that I need to complete me. I would like to be complete on my own first and fall in love with somebody who is also complete. You can still celebrate and be totally obsessed with each other, but I want to feel a hundred percent myself so that I can love that person better."

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Taylor Swift

"She lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything."

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Gina Rodriguez

“The only person you’ve got is you. Love you first and everything will fall in line. Thank God you were lucky enough to be you!”

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Scarlett Johansson

"I'm just a big believer in 'you must love yourself before you can love anybody else,' and I think for me that breeds the most inspired relationships."

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Anne Hathaway

"You have to want to be married to someone. You have to feel that reciprocated. Marriage for marriage's sake doesn't make any sense to me, and I found someone with whom I could put my money where my mouth is, I guess."

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Blake Lively

"If I'm not with somebody who really excites or inspires me, then I'd rather be by myself."

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Kamala Harris

“What I want young women and girls to know is: You are powerful and your voice matters. You’re going to walk into many rooms in your life and career where you may be the only one who looks like you or who has had the experiences you’ve had. But you remember that when you are in those rooms, you are not alone. We are all in that room with you applauding you on. Cheering your voice. And just so proud of you. So you use that voice and be strong.”