If you haven’t noticed already, more recently, the feminist cause has been gaining a lot of traction by way of celebrity endorsements in our society, which is a good thing, because celebrities do have a ‘pull’ with the people.
The fact that celebrities possess this influencing power and have the ability to impact change in the society because of it, puts an immense amount of responsibility on their shoulders.
Especially because it’s not just adults following them, but it’s little kids, hanging on to their every word and copying their actions. So when a celebrity states in an interview that they are not feminist because ‘they don’t hate men’, it sends and teaches the wrong message to the mass population watching.
This thankfully is changing in the West, where ever since the Harvey Weinstein expose, more and more women are coming together to impact tangible change in their society. The most recent example being, Wonder Women, Gal Gadot refusing to star in the sequel unless the accused sexual harasser, Brett Ratner was kicked off the project.
And that’s what I want to talk about today; all the good things that can be achieved if only more and more people chose to embrace the title, ‘feminist’.
Because, sadly, in India, many celebrities, especially women celebrities, still avoid the question or say “No” when asked, “Are you a feminist?”.
And in this bandwagon, you’ll find famous actors with massive fan-following, such as Priyanka Chopra, her cousin, Parineeti Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit and, Alia Bhatt. All of these women have at some point claimed, “I don’t think I am a feminist but I am against gender inequality”, albeit using different words.
Also Read: Not Recognising Islamic Feminism Is Failing Feminism Itself
In an interview, while promoting Quantico, Priyanka Chopra, described the show as not feminist rather empowering in nature, since it has strong female characters. But it isn’t feminist because, in her own words, the women in the show do not hate men.
Does she not realise that this concept of “feminism” that she so inaccurately equates with the stereotypical bra-burning archetype is the whole reason a show like Quantico even exists?
A show, where an African-American woman is heading the institution and shares a screen with a hijab-wearing Muslim woman and the actress originating from India, Priyanka Chopra herself, is because of feminism.
10 years ago, an idea like this would have been laughed off the room. After all, who wants to watch a woman saving the world? A woman who is not even American, starring in a hit primetime US TV show? What a silly notion!
That’s why we need more people like Beyoncé, who recently performed in front of a huge screen emblazoned with the words ‘FEMINIST’. And the reason she did that is not to proclaim to the world that she is a feminist, but to give clarity to the true meaning of the term since a lot of people are still unaware.
Or if you want a local hero, take Twinkle Khanna, who has repeatedly stated that “Feminism means wanting equal opportunities and those who say they are not and that they don’t believe in feminism, are idiots”.
Clear and simple.
Image Credits: Google Images
Other Recommendations:
http://edtimes.in/2017/09/modern-feminism-is-only-for-rich-people-its-the-poor-who-actually-suffer/
