Barbara Avedon (June 14, 1925 – August 31, 1994)[1] was an American television writer, political activist,[2] and feminist.

She was one of the writers for the television series Bewitched, and helped a group of Jefferson High School students write the episode "Sisters at Heart".

[6] With Barbara Corday, Avedon created Cagney & Lacey, the world's first dramatic television series to place women in both of its starring roles.

[7] They came up with the idea for this television series after having read Molly Haskell's book From Reverence to Rape which stated that there had never been a female buddy film.

[12] Her son Joshua is a co-founder of Jumpstart, a not-for-profit that focuses on transforming the broader Jewish community through spirituality, learning, social activism, and culture, and the Jewish congregation IKAR.