Najimi is a prominent actress, comedian, and activist whose uncompromising “second wave” feminism has permeated every aspect of her work and life. She has been a prominent face in gay rights, human rights, animal rights, and women’s rights causes. She received the LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s Achievement Award for over 18 years of AIDs activism.
In 2004 she was named Ms. Magazines Woman of the Year. And she was also honored with Arabic Comedy Lifetime Achievement Award.
She has written, co-written, and performed feminist comedy shows like: The Mo and Kathy Show (performed for over 15 years around the world) and It’s My Party (her one woman show in which she tackles themes of bisexuality, feminism, identity, feminism, etc.). She also spent five years with the feminist theater group Sisters on Stage.
Her activism includes work with: Project Angel Food, GLAAD, PETA, Planned Parenthood, Voters for Choice, and others. Over the last few years she has raised over $250,000 through celebrity appearances to donate to women’s causes in Afghanistan, to stop violence against women, and to empower young girls.
As a “plus size” woman, Najimy has also worked to help women and girls find peace with their bodies and embrace being big and beautiful, two things that are almost always opposed in weight obsessed N. America, much of her work has addressed how hating one’s body is a form of patriarchal control over women.
She has also written essays about Roe v. Wade in the book The Choices We Made.
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AP Photo Gay Rights Rally. unattributed.
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PETA ad. unattributed.
Hooray for Kathy and all of the women who raise their voices to better our world! She is an inspiration!
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