Girl power! As Hollywood continues to make major changes, many stars have come forward to stress the importance of feminism and gender equality.
Ryan Gosling, who shares two daughters with Eva Mendes, told the Evening Standard in June 2016 that “women are better than men.” The Notebook actor noted, “They are stronger, more evolved. You can tell especially when you have daughters and you see their early stages, they are just leaps and bounds beyond boys immediately.”
Meghan Markle, for her part, mused in March 2019 that she and husband Prince Harry were hoping their royal baby would grow up to be a feminist, no matter its sex. “I’ve actually been joking in the past few weeks, I had seen this documentary on Netflix about feminism and one of the things they said during pregnancy is, ‘I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism,’” the duchess said during an International Women’s Day at the time. “I loved that, so boy or girl, or whatever it is, we hope that’s the case.”
The Suits alum gave birth to son Archie two months later, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Lilibet, in June 2021. That October, the Bench author opened up about the necessity for paid parental leave in a letter to the U.S. Congress.
“Like any parents, we were overjoyed,” she wrote of becoming a family of four. “Like many parents, we were overwhelmed. Like fewer parents, we weren’t confronted with the harsh reality of either spending those first few critical months with our baby or going back to work. We knew we could take her home and in that vital (and sacred) stage, devote any and everything to our kids and to our family. We knew that by doing so we wouldn’t have to make impossible choices about childcare, work and medical care that so many have to make every single day.”
Over the years, several women have spoken out about unequal pay in Hollywood. After it was revealed in January 2018 that Michelle Williams made less than 1 percent of her costar Mark Wahlberg’s salary to reshoot scenes from their movie, All the Money in the World, the issue of equal pay was put at the forefront of many conversations. Although Wahlberg ended up donating his $1.5 million paycheck to a women’s organization on behalf of Williams, the Greatest Showman actress still felt the effects of the pay gap.
“[I was] paralyzed in feelings of futility,” the Dawson’s Creek alum confessed in April 2019. “There won’t be satisfaction for me until I can exhaust my efforts ensuring that all women experience the elevation of their self-worth and its connection to the elevation of their market worth.”
Scroll down to find out what Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and more stars have said about feminism:
“There’s [a film I’m considering] now where I have to wait for all the male roles to be cast before I can even become a part of the conversation. Part of me gets that. [But] part of me is like, ‘What the f–k? You have to cast for females based on who’s cast as males?’” the Love Life alum told Glamour in 2015, reflecting on how women and men are treated differently throughout the audition process. “To me, the only explanation is that there are so many f–king talented girls, and from a business standpoint it’s easier to find women to match the men. I totally stand by the belief that there are 10 unbelievably talented women for every role.”
Alicia Keys
The songwriter was featured on the cover of Elle’s 2016 Feminist Issue. “Let’s look the definition up because I have in my mind what I feel it means,” she mused at the time. “The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of political, social and economic equality’ — so yes. Yes, I am a feminist, and whoever isn’t is crazy. It’s about owning your power, embracing your womanhood.”
During a roundtable discussion for The Hollywood Reporter in 2016, the former American Idol judge opened up about the “diva” label. “I’ve always been fascinated about how much more well-behaved we have to be than men. I did get a moniker of being a ‘diva,’ which I never felt I deserved — which I don’t deserve. I’ve always been a hard worker, always on time, always professional,” she said. “I always felt sometimes crippled to voice my opinion.”
Natalie Portman
“I want women and men to be able to be full-time parents or full-time working people or any combination of the two. I want both to be able to do whatever they want sexually without being called names. I want them to be allowed to be weak and strong and happy and sad — human, basically,” the Oscar winner told Elle UK in 2013, calling for more complex female stories in film. “The fallacy in Hollywood is that if you’re making a ‘feminist’ story, the woman kicks ass and wins. That’s not feminist, that’s macho. A movie about a weak, vulnerable woman can be feminist if it shows a real person that we can empathize with.”
Although the “Look What You Made Me Do” singer admitted in 2014 that she did not understand feminism, she changed her tune the following year. “Misogyny is ingrained in people from the time they are born,” she told Maxim in December 2015. “So, to me, feminism is probably the most important movement that you could embrace, because it’s just basically another word for equality. A man writing about his feelings from a vulnerable place is brave; a woman writing about her feelings from a vulnerable place is oversharing or whining.”
Demi Lovato
The “Confident” singer took to social media in February 2016 to assert that actions speak louder than words. “I’m also ready for self-proclaimed feminists to start speaking out or taking action for women’s rights,” she tweeted at the time. “Women empowerment is using your voice to help the voiceless women be heard. Women empowerment is taking action now, not when it’s convenient. Women empowerment is leading other women to make actual changes in our society.”
In June 2015, Grande shared a lengthy Twitter note about double standards and “misogyny” that “are still ever present” in the world. “I am tired of living in a world where women are mostly referred to as a man’s past, present or future PROPERTY / POSSESSION,” she fired. “I… do not. belong. to anyone. but myself. and neither do you. … I can’t wait to live in a world where people are not valued by who they’re dating / married to / attached to, having sex with (or not) / see with…. but by their value as an individual.”
Beyoncé
The Grammy winner first publicly referred to herself as a feminist in 2013 and proceeded to perform in front of a large monitor that read “FEMINIST” at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. The “Love on Top” songstress later explained that she “always considered [herself] a feminist,” but was “afraid of that word” for a long time. Eventually, however, she realized, “It’s just a person that believes in equality for men and women. Men and women balance each other out, and we have to get to a point where we are comfortable with appreciating each other.”
The United Nations Goodwill Ambassador discussed the importance of understanding feminism in September 2014. “I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating,” she said at the U.N.’s NYC headquarters. “If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.” As for her personal opinions? She continued, “I think it is right that I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and the decisions that affect my life. I think it is right that socially, I am afforded the same respect as men.”
Jennifer Lawrence
The Oscar winner told W magazine in September 2010 that women should not seek approval from anyone but themselves. “There are actresses who build themselves, and then there are actresses who are built by others,” she noted. “I want to build myself.”
The Big Little Lies star was raised as a feminist by her mother, Janelle Kidman, who would make the actress hand out pamphlets advocating for political candidates who supported women’s right when she was young. “We’d get teased at school,” the Emmy winner recalled in the October 2018 issue of Marie Claire. “At the time, we’d roll our eyes and be embarrassed. But my sister and I are both advocates now. It was an incredible gift to be given.” The Boy Erased actress also explained that she supports “all women … who speak out against any abuse and misuse of power, be it domestic violence or sexual harassment in the workforce.”
