Big Bang Theory star: I'm not a feminist

[Prometheus 1,494]

Nothing wrong with that. Feminist is such a loaded word now that I don't blame people who are in favor of equality to not identify themselves as that. I believe in equality for the s-xes but I would never call myself a feminist.

Then you are perpetuating the belief that being a feminist is something shameful. Just because there are a few load voices in the movement who are extremists and misandrists doesn't mean the movement should be treated like a shameful thing. I am proud to say I am a feminist and I think it helps that I am male because then people realize it isn't just a bunch of bra-burning, man-hating women. It is a movement for s-x and gender equality.

 

Saying you believe in equality and you are not a feminist, although entirely your choice, is simply paradoxical. That's like saying I believe white people are the supreme race and all other races are inferior, yet I am not racist. You are completely entitled to identify yourself however you want and please do not take this as me attacking you. I just want people to realize that if they believe in total s-x and gender equality then they are in fact supporters of feminism. 

[NewYorkCity 10,462]

Great for her, I understand what she is saying. 

[Morphine Prince 96,102]

Then you are perpetuating the belief that being a feminist is something shameful. Just because there are a few load voices in the movement who are extremists and misandrists doesn't mean the movement should be treated like a shameful thing. I am proud to say I am a feminist and I think it helps that I am male because then people realize it isn't just a bunch of bra-burning, man-hating women. It is a movement for s-x and gender equality.

Saying you believe in equality and you are not a feminist, although entirely your choice, is simply paradoxical. That's like saying I believe white people are the supreme race and all other races are inferior, yet I am not racist. You are completely entitled to identify yourself however you want and please do not take this as me attacking you. I just want people to realize that if they believe in total s-x and gender equality then they are in fact supporters of feminism.

Well said.

[Goosey 3,017]

If you believe in equality for the s-xes you're a feminist

 

There's the dictionary definition, and then there's the colloquial definition everyone actually uses. She means the second.

[Vernier 3,786]

I'm sure she's for gender equality but I think she's of the mindset that inequality really isn't present anymore since she's never really faced it, so she just doesn't care At least that's how I took it.

Yeah I'm reading that now, it's a very odd point of view to have as she's saying she's never really experienced inequality as a woman(which i find unbelievable in itself) so it's not something that interests her. Not my place to tell anyone what to care about, but it affects other people, especially in Hollywood, an industry she's actively involved in, and she's in a position to make her voice count, so her disinterest is a bit unfortunate, but good for her

[Memo 176]

How Lana of her

Really it's her choice but just because she was lucky enough to never be affected by s-xism in her life doesn't mean the issues doesn't exist and she should just ignore it but whatever

[teo 609]

But you can be a feminist and still be a housewife. I'm not saying she has to be, but one thing is not excluding the other. I don't think she really knows what feminism is. It's more about giving the women the choice and the equal opportunities to be whatever they want, not to prevent them from being domestic and be family oriented.

[Brainiac 10,352]

Then you are perpetuating the belief that being a feminist is something shameful. Just because there are a few load voices in the movement who are extremists and misandrists doesn't mean the movement should be treated like a shameful thing. I am proud to say I am a feminist and I think it helps that I am male because then people realize it isn't just a bunch of bra-burning, man-hating women. It is a movement for s-x and gender equality.

 

Saying you believe in equality and you are not a feminist, although entirely your choice, is simply paradoxical. That's like saying I believe white people are the supreme race and all other races are inferior, yet I am not racist. You are completely entitled to identify yourself however you want and please do not take this as me attacking you. I just want people to realize that if they believe in total s-x and gender equality then they are in fact supporters of feminism. 

 

I'll just quote what I told another user. I also think it's important to point out that those "few loud voices" are pretty much what anyone thinks of when they hear the word "feminist." That's something that the movement needs to address.

 

 

I'm aware of the official definition of it. I'm not talking about that though. I'm talking about the societal connotation that has been attached to the word. What I'm saying is due to that, I wouldn't openly label myself as a feminist. I just prefer to say I believe in equality.

[TropicOfCANCER 6,292]

she's dumb. in this day and age, how do women still believe that they shouldn't be equal to men? So insulting to women that are oppressed and those that fought long and hard to give people like Kaley the chance to work and make an income.

[PoshLife 16,839]

I'll just quote what I told another user.

The problem is that you're buying into the stereotype of feminists as these angry extremist anti-male people. You're letting people who label feminists that way win.

 

Take back the word. I'm a feminist and I'm damn proud of it. I determine what a feminist is, not the people who don't believe in women's rights. Join me, not them. That's the choice.

[uo111 5,201]

She doesn't have to be an activist if she doesn't want to be.

[Lassex 1,169]

She really didn't say she wasn't a feminist or that she doesn't believe in equal rights for women. All she said was that it doesn't affect her, so she doesn't really think about it, but she does appreciate the women who fought before her to allow her to be in her current position.

I think her words make sense. I mean, even if I personally don't ''fight'' for equal rights, I still support them. I think everyone should at least tell that they support equality (if they do ) when there's a discussion about it

[Pandora 162]

Who cares? As long as she's happy with that $1million-per-episode deal then she can do whatever the **** she wants. Props to ha!

[Prometheus 1,494]

I'm aware of the official definition of it. I'm not talking about that though. I'm talking about the societal connotation that has been attached to the word. What I'm saying is due to that, I wouldn't openly label myself as a feminist. I just prefer to say I believe in equality.

As I said that is a backward motion belief. To allow a patriarchal, misogynistic society to win by highlighting fake feminists (e.g. those who hate men and say women need to be independent instead of allowing them to be whoever they want to be) and making feminism a dirty word. TIME magazine thought feminism was such a dirty word that it should be banned.

 

Imagine there is a word for supporting LGBT+ rights, let's call them gayists. Now, gayism is the belief that no matter s-xual orientation or gender identity that everyone should be treated as equals. This movement is a long-standing one, and many have dragged it through the mud, especially those who are heteros-xual. Now, imagine LGBT+ community members are treated better in a few countries than they were in the past, but LGBT+ hate and inequalities are still prevalent in your society and even more so across the world. Clearly, a movement must have a resurgence because our generation is very progressive.

 

However, media and society (both which are very heteronormative [AKA believe that heteros-xuality is the norm]) have highlighted those in the gayist movement who are heterophobes. These extremists, although few, have had their voices blasted because they say heteros-xuals are beneath LGBT+ community members and that LGTB+ members have to get married, have to adopt kids, and have to control all facets of society. Now, this isn't equalist thinking is it? However, their voices have become so synonymous that the gayist movement has more or less disbanded due to shame and association. 

 

Of course, those who still believe in LGBT+ rights still support equality, but as I said they are ashamed to even associate with the terms "gayist" or "gayism" for fear of being grouped together with heterophobes. Due to this, the movement has slowed and the gayist voices have been labeled novel and ridiculous. Sure, LGBT+ community members have more rights than they used to, but millions are still shamed, oppressed, and even murdered for how they were born. 

 

Let's continue this metaphor. Now gayism is being brought back to the public's attention because, hey, inequalities still exit even in our country. You have many people, mostly LGBT+ community members, who are famous and well-off saying they are not gayists because they don't hate heteros-xuals (even though that is not gayism at all). They say they don't need gayism because being an LGBT+ community member has never really negatively affected them. They say all the inequality is in the past. These comments begin to surface in other interviews among other LGBT+ community members who have made it and now look what we have: a fractured movement.

 

Because of this fear of being associated with extremists we have slowed, if not broken, the movement toward equality. When you have a term such as "feminist," a powerful and provocative word, it can be used to help people identify with a single movement, and help this movement seem more united. When you have a loose conglomeration of people saying, "Well, I'm not a feminist, but I think something should be done about women's rights," it causes the movement to lose traction. And why? All because society and media, which is ran by systematic patriarchalism, deemed "feminist" to be an ugly, negative, cringe-worthy term.  

[ryhanna 3,507]

Kinda understand her reasoning. If you've never personally faced adversity against your s-x before, it might be hard to see that discrimination against females still happens. 

 

I'm not saying that women who don't feel that they've personally experienced s-xism should sit back and pretend it doesn't exist, though. I just understand where she's coming from.