When it comes to equality between men and women, a lot has changed for the better in the past few decades – also thanks to the MeToo movement. In the film and music industry, which is still partly characterized by traditional gender roles, more and more prominent men are raising their voices for gender equality. Many of them understand that the entertainment industry not only tells stories, but also shapes social values - and therefore has a responsibility to promote diversity and fairness. Given the fact that positions of power in film, music and theater are still predominantly occupied by men, it is all the more important if they reflect on their privileges and work for a fairer future.
In this article, we have compiled 15 remarkable quotes from feminist men who are making a significant contribution to promoting gender equality through their words and actions.
1 Daniel Craig
“Women are responsible for two-thirds of the work done, yet they only earn 10 percent of total income and own only one percent of all property. So are we the same? Until the answer is yes, we must not stop asking.”
2 Kurt Cobain
“Rape is one of the worst crimes in the world. And it happens every few minutes. The problem with rape groups is that they want to educate women about how to defend themselves. What really needs to happen: Men need to be trained not to rape anyone. You have to start at the source.”
3 Eddie Vedder
On MTV Unplugged in 1992, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder wrote the words “Pro Choice” on his arm, making it clear that he supports reproductive rights for women. “As individuals in this ‘free’ country, we must have the right to choose when the time is right.”
4 Patrick Stewart
As a child, Patrick Stewart witnessed his father physically abusing his mother. Speaking for Amnesty International in 2009, he said: “Even if she had done something that might have provoked my father, you have the choice to be violent. This choice is made by a man. We can choose to make it stop.”
5 Daniel Radcliffe
“Have you ever heard of a girl being in the friend zone? I think this is something that men should be careful with… Do I believe that men and women can be friends? Yes, absolutely. Do I believe that men and women who find each other sexually attractive can only be friends? Hmm, at some point it will definitely become a problem that needs to be addressed or simply avoided. Anyway, I think the idea of a friend zone comes from men saying, ‘Hey, this woman doesn’t want to have sex with me.'”
6 Harry Styles
“People think that when you say, ‘I’m a feminist,’ that means you think men should burn in hell and women should trample on their necks. No, people think that women should have equal rights. That doesn’t seem crazy to me. I grew up with my mother and my sister – when you grow up around women, the female influence is just bigger.”
7 Beastie Boys
An excerpt from the song “Sure Shot”:
“I want to say a little something that’s long overdue / The disrespect to women has to get through / To all the mothers and sisters and the wives and friends / I want to offer my love and respect till the end.”
8 Joseph Gordon Levitt
“My mother raised me as a feminist. She always explained to my brother and me that our culture views women as objects… She wanted to make us sensitive to this because we see these images on television, in films and in magazines. If you don’t stop and think about it, it creeps into your mind and becomes a reality.”
9 John Legend
“We are better off when women have more power – that leads to a better society.”
10 Andy Samberg
“It’s crazy. As long as there have been men and women, there have been funny women…fucking idiotic men keep saying women aren’t funny. It drives me crazy and I find it disgusting and insulting every time.”
11 Ashton Kutcher
“It is an injustice to assume that it is only the woman’s job to change diapers. I want to see my daughter grow up in a world where gender does not dictate responsibilities or limitations to anyone.”
12 Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling on criticism of the oral sex scene with Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”:
“A film culture that preaches artistic freedom but at the same time tries to control how women are portrayed on screen must be questioned. The MPAA [Motion Picture Association of America] Is okay with scenes that show women in sexually violent scenarios for entertainment purposes. On the other hand, they try to force us to look away from scenes in which women are sexually involved. It is misogynistic to try to control how women present themselves sexually. That’s a bigger problem than this movie.”
13 Terry Crews
“I am an avowed feminist and it makes me happy when women are seen as stars – as the stars they should be and when they are in the spotlight and highlighted. Because this is long overdue.”
14 Prince Harry
“We know that when women are given more power, it improves the lives of everyone who interacts with them – their families, their communities, their countries. It’s not just about women, we men also have to recognize what role we play. Real men treat women with dignity and give them the respect they deserve.”
15 Tom Hardy
In conversation with the magazine “interview“ in 2015, actor Tom Hardy spoke about strong female roles in Hollywood. “I identify with strong, influential women in my life. Do you think women are adequately represented in scripts, films, television and theater today? Or do you think there should be better roles for women than just girlfriend, wife or lover? Because that’s exactly what bores me.”