Pioneering feminist answers questions
Gloria Steinem gave a press conference to promote the documentary Gloria: In Her Own Words. Alex Strachan, writing for Postmedia News, recounts what happened:
The first question was a fireball. The bloggers in the room may not have understood it, but it certainly got their attention. A lot of women in the room owe their positions to Steinem, the questioner said. Steinem broke down barriers for women. But looking at today’s generation, did she break down those barriers “so young women today can dress like hookers and be OK with being treated like a piece of meat, whether it’s in a music video or in social situations?” Isn’t it ironic, Steinem was asked, that what she fought so hard for has been rejected by the generation that came later?
Steinem was candid in her reply, and perhaps surprising.
‘No,” she said simply. “This generation of young women is actually much more feminist than we ever were. If you look at the public opinion polls, they’re actually much more supportive of all the issues of equality. And my question to the young woman who is dressing as you describe is: Is she doing it because she wants to? Is she body-proud? Is she sexuality-proud? Because then, I say, great. Is she doing it because she feels she has to? That she won’t be popular otherwise? Then, that’s wrong.
“Reese Witherspoon, whom I don’t know very well, told me she did Legally Blonde because of me. I said, ‘No kidding. How come?’ And she said, ‘Because I heard you say you should be able to dress any way you f-ing well please and be safe.’ “
Make sure to click through for her thoughts on “Pan Am” and “Mad Men” — an interesting take.