Michael Moore is giving Jane Fonda, badass feminist, a lifetime achievement award

To say we admire actress and activist Jane Fonda is an understatement. In addition to a lifetime of iconic roles (The Doll Maker, Nine to Five, Grace and Frankie…we could go on), she’s known worldwide as an outspoken advocate for women.

And according to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Michael Moore will honor Fonda with a lifetime achievement award at the Traverse City Film Festival this year. Moore, the festival’s founder, announced the award yesterday, June 20th.

"I can think of no other artist who has given more to her country," Moore said in his announcement. "What an honor for our festival audience to welcome and to be inspired by the work of this American icon. Her voice is as needed today as much as ever."

In honor of Fonda and all that she’s accomplished (both for herself and for others), let’s take a look at some of her best moments.

1 When she spoke out against the Vietnam War.

According to Time, in 1972 Fonda toured North Vietnam to protest the U.S. bombing of non-military targets. The trip remains one of her most legendary moments of activism and earned her the nickname “Hanoi Jane.” Her tour was controversial, as many accused her of anti-military sentiments, and she later clarified that she was protesting our government, not our troops.

2 When she and Lily Tomlin spoke out about sexual harassment.

After the initial allegations surfaced against Harvey Weinstein in October, Fonda and her Grace and Frankie costar made a video with ATTN spotlighting sexual harassment in the food industry.

3 ALL of her Oscar nominations.

Fonda won her first Academy Award in 1972 for her role in Klute. And, as Politico notes, she caused a splash when, after the awards show, she spoke out against the Vietnam War, telling reporters backstage she couldn’t ignore the violence.

Fonda won another Oscar in 1975 for Coming Home and received six additional nominations.

4 When she co-founded the Women’s Media Center.

The actress founded the WMC with renowned feminist Gloria Steinem in 2005 in order to help women in media become more visible. She is now a staunch fighter for women’s rights and feminist causes (after several decades of not self-identifying as a feminist). “It took me 30 years to get it [feminism], but it’s OK to be a late bloomer, as long as you don’t miss the flower show,” she once wrote in an essay for Lenny Letter.

The Traverse City Film Festival will run from July 31st to August 5th, and we’re so glad Fonda is getting recognized for her lifetime of work and activism. It’s about time.