Schyman is one of Sweden's most prominent political feminists, and had attracted attention when she in 2004 asked how society and men would take responsibility for the violence against women.

This question came in the form of an investigation, which was dubbed "man tax" by Swedish journalists, for they assumed that was how the problem would be resolved.

The party's first executive committee included Ann-Marie Tung, Anna Jutterdal, Cecilia Chrapkowska, Gudrun Schyman, Helena Brandt, Lotten Sunna, Maria Jansson, Monica Brun, Monica Amante, Sandra Andersson, Sandra Dahlén, Sofia Karlsson and Tiina Rosenberg.

Media also focused attention on what came to be called "the decision to campaign to abolish marriage" and the current state-recognised cohabiting partnerships, and instead introduce a new Cohabitation Act (Swedish: sammanlevnadsbalk) which would encompass a new legal status for private relationships between more than two people, irrespective of gender, thereby raising the possibility of legally recognising polygamy.

Regarding the organisational matters, the conference decided to appoint three executive committee members as their spokespersons (Swedish: talesperson).

[21][22] After a review of the alleged errors in the book, Rosenberg's faculty at Stockholm University deemed the matter unnecessary to investigate further.

Rosenberg left Fi in October 2005, citing media attention and criticism directed toward her research and person as the reason, claiming to be the target of a deliberate antifeminist campaign instigated by right-wing lobbyists.

[30] Benny Andersson, one of the members of the group ABBA, donated one million kronor to the party in 2009 for its European Parliament campaign.

The money that was burned had been donated by the advertising agency Studio Total, and the event got major publicity around the world.

[35][36] In July 2018, Feminist Initiative member Oldoz Javidi was strongly criticized in Swedish media for anti-semitic remarks made during a Ship to Gaza voyage.

Javidi stated in an interview that the Jews living in Israel should be moved to the USA, a remark that made journalists draw comparisons to deportations during WWII.

It has been speculated that one reason for the improvement was the one million kronor donation made to the party by former ABBA member Benny Andersson.

[42] Fi became the third-biggest party in the southern municipality of Simrishamn, with 8.9% of the votes, giving them 4 seats in the city council.

[13] In June 2014, the party announced that its single MEP would join the Socialists and Democrats group in the European parliament.