It's a complicated issue, and the panel didn't find a definitive answer for how we should approach feminist branding. Everyone onstage said they own at least one item emblazoned with a girl-power slogan and admitted that they love it. But they also said we should be careful not to let our political action stop there.

Kate Lord

On what it means to be a feminist:"One of the ideas we’ve had is that feminism is whatever people say it is or what it is for themselves, which is a nice idea but not a political idea. My feminism challenges institutions to change." —Soraya Chemaly

On what it means for feminism to be trending:"We've been able to tell companies, 'You will actually make more money if you sell us shirts that make us feel good, instead of selling us stuff that makes us feel like crap.' We can empower one another with what’s on our T-shirts instead of degrading one another. That’s not to say that if Ivanka Trump wore a T-shirt that said 'I love smashing the patriarchy,' we would give her the Feminist of the Year award—there’s a lot of complicated stuff about the corporatization of feminism. But I think we have to count some part of this as a win." —Heather Arnet

On empowerment versus power:"The problem I have with the word empowering is that it’s not the same as power. And for us to change the world and make it a safer, cleaner, healthier place, we need real power. Sometimes I feel empowered because I put nail polish on that day, and that’s really nice. But that’s not real power. So I really strive, when I put the [feminist slogan] T-shirt on or put the sticker on my laptop, I try to remember that that’s great, but it’s frosting. I love frosting, I'm not bashing frosting, but we need the cake too." —Chemaly

On the limits of a T-shirt:"There are no simple solutions. A feminist T-shirt for every person on the planet will not solve our problems. So I just say, keep it in its place and devote your energy to more important things too." —Chemaly

On the power of a T-shirt:"These shirts and things could be a gateway drug to something better. And where I think they could be relevant is in shifting the conversation. Even our dear Ivanka, she's talking about paid family leave, and that actually is making a difference. Our organization is working to pass paid family leave in Pennsylvania, and we have a different idea of what that should look like than she does, but what's interesting is that now something that used to only be talked about by one political party is being talked about by two. It's actually making it easier for us to get Republican leaders in our state to talk about paid family leave." —Arnet

On using fashion to make a real political statement:"When you wear a T-shirt, that might itself be a very political act in your environment or in your stage of life, I don’t want to suggest that’s not true. Sometimes wearing a T-shirt is a very confrontational thing to do—by wearing the shirt, you’re saying, 'I am angry about this thing,' and that’s a very political thing to do." —Chemaly

Also over the weekend, She's the First debuted the STF Action Network, which is designed to help millennials and Gen Z–ers become better activists. The network will be available on shesthefirst.org, and will include articles, podcasts, and videos from experts, how-to guides from activists, and a point system to help girls track their participation. The first module is on intersectional feminism.