The best feminist walking tours on airbnb
from Paris to NYC, celebrate women with these local-led walks
In today’s newsletter: feminist walking tours, The White Lotus, and the end of girl bosses. A special thanks to our paid subscribers! With your paid subscriptions we’ve supported some incredible non-profits, including World Central Kitchen, Refugio Animal Holbox, Womankind, Girls Write Now, Women for Women, Heart of Dinner & Black Mamas Matter. If you’ve found your way here but are not yet subscribed, let me help you with that:
From Santiago to Edinburgh, local women are taking it upon themselves to celebrate the feminist history of their respective cities. Whether it’s Chile’s first female president or the woman to run Amsterdam’s first gay bar — these inspiring women are too often left out of guidebooks.
In our Feminist City Guides, we spotlight women-owned businesses worldwide and show travelers how to support local women on their next trip. Many times, the best resource for finding these women-run businesses is via a female tour guide on Airbnb.
Since launching their Experiences platform, a myriad of independent female tour guides have started to offer walking tours on Airbnb that highlight the women’s history of their hometown, along with its female entrepreneurs. Here are a few feminist walking tours on our radar.
Book this walking tour for a unique introduction to Santiago that emphasizes iconic women and feminism in Chile. From the country’s powerful female politicians to Chile’s first female president, Michelle Bachelet — you’ll learn about important women in Chile’s history while visiting women-owned businesses.
Hosted by a local female writer and historian, this tour of Amsterdam places an emphasis on highlighting the historic women who have shaped this vibrant city. Along the walk you’ll see the must-visit Anne Frank House, stop by Cafe ‘t Mandje and learn about the legend of the woman who ran the first modern gay bar and you’ll visit Oude Kerk to hear the tale of the woman who fought to inherit Amsterdam.
This Airbnb Experience will take you on a feminist walking tour of Paris in the trendy neighborhood of Châtelet. Get an insider’s look at the history of French women whose rebellion and revolutionary streaks forever impacted the French capital. The hosts — Julie, Cécile & Salomé — offer other feminist-inspired tours of Paris such as a Street Art & Feminism tour and a Feminist Tour of the Louvre.
Join local host, Tinna Eik, for a feminist walking tour of Iceland’s capital. During the tour, you’ll learn about the history of Icelandic women and Reykjavik’s marginalized communities. On this two-hour tour, you’ll see how Iceland continues to set the standard for gender equality worldwide.
During the course of this tour of Berlin, you’ll learn about the many achievements of the city’s historical women. You’ll start your tour at the Hackescher Markt and from there, make your way over to Museum Island. From Museum Island, you’ll walk along the pretty streets of Mitte while listening to stories about feminist May Ayim and the world’s first female Rabbi, Regina Jonas.
There are countless guidebooks on London, but few focus on the history you’ll learn when you book this feminist walking tour. Book this tour for a look at the HERstory that defines London, from the fierce women who have shaped the city to the female visionaries whose mark is often forgotten. Want more? Check out our Feminist City Guide to London.
Hosted by a Brooklyn native and former history professor, this walking tour of NYC celebrates the iconic women who shaped The Big Apple. Your guide, Stacey, shares stories of the matriarchs of the Lenape Indians — the original Native American inhabitants of New York — and the influence of other female trailblazers, such as woman suffragists, ground-breaking writers, activists, and philanthropists. Want more? Check out our Feminist City Guide to Brooklyn or our Feminist Guidebook to New York.
The White Lotus, the end of girl bosses, and Old
READ this article from Vanity Fair about the end of the Girl Boss era, which looks at the fall of female CEOs like Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller, Audrey Gelman of The Wing, and the OG Girlboss, Sophia Amoruso of, well, #GirlBoss. Afterward, check out this article published by my good friend, Amber Snider, which looks at how Hawaii’s brush fires are impacting its indigenous communities.
WATCH The White Lotus on HBO Max, which explores themes of white privilege in the context of guests staying at an expensive resort in Hawaii. Also watch the new movie, Old, which is admittedly terrible but in a fun and campy horror movie sort of way.
I’ll be traveling for the next two weeks (woohoo!) so I’ll see you again when I’m back!
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