List of Famous Women Who “Aren’t Feminists” Misses the Point

by Lilly O'Donnell

A recent Buzzfeed list of famous women who don’t identify as feminists should instead have been called “proof that nobody understands what feminism is.”

Most of the women on the list seemed to be responding to the question “are you a rabid man-hater?” not “are you a feminist?” and/or not understand that those are two very different questions.

“I don’t think that I would consider myself a feminist,” Marissa Mayer said. “I think that I certainly believe in equal rights, I believe that women are just as capable.” …So then you mean to say you’re a feminist?

“But I don’t, I think have, sort of, the militant drive and the sort of, the chip on the shoulder that sometimes comes with that,” she continued. I don’t have the guilt-tripping condescension and feigned moral superiority that some people equate with being a vegetarian. But I still don’t eat meat. Am I not really vegetarian, after all?

Gwyneth Paltrow was relatively coherent when she specified that she doesn’t agree with the particular tenet of feminism that says women shouldn’t compromise their careers for love. But, of course, it’s possible to participate in the give-and-take of a relationship and still be a feminist – it would just mean making sure that there was some take involved as well as some give.

Glamour reblogged the post and added the question, “Does that change how you feel about the way you identify yourself either way?”

No, it makes me shake my head and sigh over the fact that so many people see all of feminism as chronic complainers and militant man-haters.

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