Perhaps you've heard about this recent story. Meryl Streep was presenting an award to Emma Thompson at the National Board of Review awards ceremony for her part in the movie, Saving Mr. Banks. Maybe you've seen it or, at least, the commercials for it. The movie is a "pat on the back" to Walt Disney (played by Tom Hanks) who convinced the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers (played by Emma Thompson), to let him make her book into a movie. Streep apparently went on a rant, complaining that Disney (who she never knew) was sexist, racist, and anti-semitic (which seems rather two-faced since she is starring in an upcoming Disney movie) (and the facts of the accusation are in question).
I'll let those who know argue about the legitimacy of her accusation and those who care battle it out. Here's what I found fascinating. In her vitriolic assault (20 minutes on an award show ... really, Meryl?), she praised Emma Thompson as a fellow "rabid, man-eating feminist". Now, that's a news flash. I mean, I've made the same kind of accusation against the modern feminists, but males and females alike felt they needed to correct me. "They're not against men; they're merely seeking equality." Streep disagrees. She classifies herself as a rabid, man-eating feminist. Her words. Not mine.
So those of you who wish to defend feminism in its current crest of a wave, you'll need to do so with Streep's admission in mind. I thought it, but she said it, so you'll have to take that up with her.
2 comments:
She could make herself equal to this man (me) by cutting me a check for about 49.999999% of her current worth. Now that's some equality that I can sign on for.
Clearly you have a different view of "equality" than she does. Her version is "Some of us are more equal than others."
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