2014 seems to have been the year of celebrities saying they were feminists and feminists saying they couldn't be because they had been seen in public wearing pants. Spangly pants. 2015 is shaping up to be the year celebrities say they aren't feminists, sorry not sorry and feminists comment that they bloody should be and to apologise for this lack of desire to join a seemingly unwelcoming movement. While Beyonce, who spent last year discussing her feminism, equal pay and featured a Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie quote about women in her single Flawless before standing in front of a screen that said FEMINIST in giant letters on the MTV Awards has earned reams of features explaining why she can't be feminist. Meanwhile in a recent interview Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting was asked if she was a feminist and when she answered "Is it bad if I say no?" received a shocked and disappointed response from feminists and commentators.
Apparently feminism needs a woman who portrays an occasionally air-headed blonde on a TV show but it doesn't need prominent multi-millionaire women of colour. Cuoco-Sweeting's role of Penny on The Big Bang Theory in which she is regularly flummoxed by or dismissive of scientific knowledge does not negate her own potential relationship with feminism but apparently Beyonce's penchant for posing in sexy stage outfits does.
Now, let me be clear. Of course Cuoco-Sweeting could be a feminist if she wanted. Her character on the hit TV show is also welcome to the pack (although her fictional status makes the practicality of this challenging) with her liberal views on women's sexuality and lack of shame over her sex life she shares plenty of feminist opinions. But it seems strange how feminism appears to think it can say 'we want you - we don't want you' when the main message of the movement is that there is space for us all, female, queer, male etc.
Now, let me be clear. Of course Cuoco-Sweeting could be a feminist if she wanted. Her character on the hit TV show is also welcome to the pack (although her fictional status makes the practicality of this challenging) with her liberal views on women's sexuality and lack of shame over her sex life she shares plenty of feminist opinions. But it seems strange how feminism appears to think it can say 'we want you - we don't want you' when the main message of the movement is that there is space for us all, female, queer, male etc.
| Also while of course we want more women to be involved in feminism (just not you. Or you) we cannot shame those who announce they are not. | we simply aren't being clear enough about the continued struggle |
We must assume that those who say it is not something they know much about - Cuoco-Sweeting told RedBook that feminism was "not really something I think about." are not anti-feminists so much as simply ill-informed, which is hardly a crime even if sometimes it feels like it should be.
Since the publication of the interview Cuoco-Sweeting has said her comments were taken out of context, though it seems unlikely as she has not said she is a feminist after all. It seems sad we are forcing a woman to apologise for a stance we disagree with particularly as it means nothing. We're just joining the march to make women constantly apologetic and unsure.
Considering Cuoco-Sweeting followed that statement with: "Things are different now, and I know a lot of the work that paved the way for women happened before I was around...I was never that feminist girl demanding equality, but maybe that's because I've never really faced inequality." demonstrates that we simply aren't being clear enough about the continued struggle and that it is everyone's struggle whether or not you encounter sexism, if the person next to you is then you have to fight it and the reason you might feel you don't have a fight is feminism.
Squeamish Kate
Since the publication of the interview Cuoco-Sweeting has said her comments were taken out of context, though it seems unlikely as she has not said she is a feminist after all. It seems sad we are forcing a woman to apologise for a stance we disagree with particularly as it means nothing. We're just joining the march to make women constantly apologetic and unsure.
Considering Cuoco-Sweeting followed that statement with: "Things are different now, and I know a lot of the work that paved the way for women happened before I was around...I was never that feminist girl demanding equality, but maybe that's because I've never really faced inequality." demonstrates that we simply aren't being clear enough about the continued struggle and that it is everyone's struggle whether or not you encounter sexism, if the person next to you is then you have to fight it and the reason you might feel you don't have a fight is feminism.
Squeamish Kate
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