Florence Given: The 20-Year-Old Putting The ‘F’ In Feminism

By Amelia Slater 3 years ago

Florence Given: The 20-Year-Old Putting The 'F' In Feminism
Florence Given is a best-selling author, illustrator and social activist changing the the world with one sassy slogan tee at a time.

The 20-year-old British feminist queer illustrator, declared as Cosmopolitan's 2019 Influencer of the Year, has a huge fan base on Instagram with her popular, retro slogan designs that address social issues surrounding misogyny, female sexuality and body image.

The rising activist has been interviewed by Maya Jama and designed merchandise for Rita Ora, who has called her an 'incredibly empowering artist'.

Florence Given: 'I want to encourage women to question the world they were born into'


This year, she released her first novel which she both wrote and illustrated, Women Don't Owe You Pretty - a book she hopes will provide lessons and advice for women that she wished she had had when she was younger.

She told The Independent:
'I want to encourage women to question the world that they were born into. I want them to find their power and realise that they should never settle for less than they deserve.'

florence given

Image Source: /divingbellgroup.com

The Influencer Has Created A Number Of Retro, Statement Illustrations


The activist uses social media to raise awareness of issues surrounding sexuality, race and gender by creating a number of retro, eye-catching illustrations, each attached with a bold statement.




Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

Florence Given First Gained Attention After Petitioning For The Cancellation Of Netflix Series Insatiable


Florence Given first began to rise to prominence after launching a petition to cancel 'fat shaming' series Insatiable, which tells the story of a teenager who, after a dramatic weight loss, suddenly becomes popular.

The petition gained over 300,000 signatures.

florence given petition to cancel netflix insatiable

Image Source: /The Mighty

Florence Brings A Hot 1970s Vibe To Her Fashion And Illustrations


Channelling 70s icon Farrah Fawcett, indeed, Floss is certainly not shy when it comes to a bold outfit choice.

She says:
'The more dramatic and bold the outfit, the better'.





Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

She Studied At The London College of Fashion, Where She Learnt To Develop Her Artistic Abilities


After studying at the Plymouth College of Art as a teen, Florence moved to London to begin studying at the London College of Fashion. It was there that she learned how to develop her drawing, with the mentorship of fashion illustrator Julie Verhoeven.

She went on to host her own exhibition in 2018. Last year, she decided to leave her studies in order to pursue her passions in art and writing.




Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

Florence Given: 'I dumped my boyfriend and realised that I had been pouring so much of my time and energy into someone who had no intention of giving it back'


That break-up glow up did wonders for Floss, who has since become an international success:
'I was running on empty, and for what? I had been constantly trying to ‘fix’ and ‘grow’ someone when I could have been putting that energy into myself.'




 










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Looking delicious in self-isolation with my left tit OUT and platforms ON for absolutely no reason


A post shared by FLOSS (@florencegiven) on






Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

'Stop Raising Him, He's Not Your Son'


The influencer strives to push women to leave their 'arhaic gender roles' in the past and to stop 'mothering' their 'man-child' boyfriends and husbands:
'I realised that this was a role women so readily accept and take on in relationships without questioning it.'





Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

'You are the love of your own life, and everything else is a distraction'


To illustrate, she says:
'We just do it for the validation that someone loves us. I wanted to use my experience to hopefully lead other young women to the same liberating realisation; that you don’t have to settle, you are the love of your own life, and everything else is a distraction.'




 










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I spent today analysing my relationships with people to see whether they're using me for personal gain. Being selfish with your time and energy is NECESSARY if you want to be happy. Imagine the sheer power you would radiate if you focused on nourishing yourself and your own craft instead of fixing everyone else around you, people who can't be bothered to fix themselves and constantly drain you of your resources. • You have to be the fiercest protector of your energy and your space. It's all that you have. You don't have time in this life to worry about what other people might think of you for setting boundaries and cutting people out. Just do it. YES you will be called intimidating, and told that your standards are 'too high' - and often in times of boredom be tempted to lower them (ie. re-downloading Tinder after you decided to delete it or hitting up your ex/shit mates) - but just know that if this means you're compromising your standards, you're going to regret it every single time. You have standards and boundaries for a reason. You deserve better and you know it - so demand it #DumpThem


A post shared by FLOSS (@florencegiven) on






Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

Florence's Designs Have Inspired Celebs To Stand Up And Take Action


Florence Given also fights for women's rights to stop being judged on their sexual history and against the sexualisation of women's bodies.

As a result, her messages inspired Love Island contestant Megan Barton to appear on Good Morning Brtain wearing one of Floss' slogan tees.

Florence has said:
'When I think about what fires me up inside and what really angers me, it’s the entitlement to women’s bodies.

'It’s the way we are viewed as existing for male consumption in the media, which in turn reflects in how men treat women’s bodies in real life.'




 










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A post shared by FLOSS (@florencegiven) on






Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven



 










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Who am I going as for Halloween? I'm not sure. But men hate her.


A post shared by FLOSS (@florencegiven) on






Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

You Can Buy Florence Given's Book On Amazon


She is currently promoting her first book; a detailed insight into unpinning the patriarchal society and a woman's journey towards self-empowerment and self-fulfilment.
'I want to keep spreading my message through the mediums of speaking, creating artwork and writing – this book is going to enable me to do just that.'

You can buy Women Don't Owe You Pretty on Amazon. However, for international shipping, Florence provides links for customers wanting to purchase the book from all across the world in her Instagram bio.




Image Source: /Instagram @florencegiven

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