Four decades of feminism – told in cartoons Kate Myers pinned up the first feminist cartoons in her kitchen in the early 1980s. She had brought them home from a trip to the US – perfect for her new bright orange cork wall (very fashionable at the time). Over the years she added others, cutting them out of magazines like Spare Rib or combing through feminist bookshops. Friends sent more until the collection grew to cover the entire wall of her home. Almost 300 cartoons – pointed, silly, funny and furious – tell a story that covers more than 40 years of feminist preoccupations, from bad dates and boorish bosses to periods, politics and the pressure to be pretty.

Kate’s Wall has become the stuff of legend among her friends. Now everyone else can enjoy it for the first time, as it travels in its entirety to the Cartoon Museum. Come and laugh, be surprised and inspired by 40 years of feminism told in cartoons. How much has changed, and how much is exactly the same?

Who is Kate Myers? Kate was a teacher in an inner London secondary who campaigned successfully against gender inequality in schools, including an outrageously sexist curriculum. With the help of fellow teachers – mostly female but a few male too – they encouraged pupils to follow their passions rather than studying subjects that were considered to be ‘for girls’ or ‘for boys’. In the process she upset the right-wing press, earning a ‘Loonie Leftie’ label from the Daily Mail! Kate went on to become a professor of education, advising on how to tackle sexism in schools. She has been collecting feminist cartoons throughout her career.