Giovanna Basso

What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

Have you ever been bitten by the Anger Monster? I have. Among all the impactful experiences, hidden ones give our life its shape, color, and, in my case, its injustice. My father locked my sister up in a room when she disobeyed him. I was bossy for taking the lead. My grandfather needs to take the dirty dishes to the sink. Eyes stared at me when I walked down the street. Little by little, as I opened my eyes, I was subjected to — anger. CHOLERA! The kind that makes the mouth tremble, the fist clench, the heart speed up, and the body paralyze with the sad imminence of impotence; after all, what could I do? Would I, too, be locked up in a room if I said anything? But for the first time, both the little devil and the little angel on my shoulder agreed — why don't you try showing them your wrath? That's why I am a feminist. That is why I want to continue to be a feminist and work with women worldwide. My nose would grow if I said I was not angry anymore. Anger never left me, teaching me what I believe in. But there is so much love and power in women's stories. I want to fall in love with the story of women because true leadership, true power, is kindness.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

My biggest win as a feminist and young woman was publishing my book “Adolê Sente: O mundo na perspectiva de uma jovem audaciosa” [Adolescent: the world from the perspective of an audacious girl] in Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, and Portugal. In 32 argumentative chronicles on the life of a feminist teenager in Brazil, the book illustrates my journey to self-love as she acknowledges my role as a changemaker and a woman in the world. I spent three years of my life annotating episodes of injustice and sexism. I turned a serious topic into a lighthearted and enjoyable reading, perfect for young teens wanting to know more about gender equality.

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

In my spare time, I like to read. I'm a proud bookworm, and my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I like going on walks alone while listening to my favorite KPop songs (#proudarmy). I also enjoy swimming and writing plays. I am obsessed with diplomacy and politics and am pursuing a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Arts & Literature, and Business from Minerva University. With university, I have lived in seven countries to understand what being a global citizen means.