Are male celebrities better feminists?

When male celebs call themselves feminists, they're usually greeted with feverish admiration. But when female celebrities identify as feminists, they aren't always as readily embraced. Why do we seem to treat male and female celebrity feminists differently?

Join Cristen to get down to the business of being a woman and all the Stuff Mom Never Told You about bodies, boys and the female brain.

[husnaarain]

I think some people don't realize that feminism isn't about how short your shorts are or if your midriff is exposed or not. It's about finding equality in the genders, not man hating, and being confident in your own skin. Hell, of the shortest dress in the entire world makes you feel good about yourself, wear it! If you want a full face of makeup just to make yourself feel nice, do it! It's about being proud of yourself, no matter your gender and trying to have equal opportunities 

[MLang-en]

I feel like we value it more when a man calls himself a feminist because it's harder for them to "understand". My boyfriend, who is very openminded and all for equality, just doesn't get certain things because he doesn't experience sexism the way I do. It's like when a cat learns a trick, because it's harder to train a cat than it is a dog, we get more excited about a cat playing fetch. That's a bad analogy, sorry. 

[juliabrooks]

A female celebrity's interest in feminism is deemed as not genuine, while her male counterparts get praised for having the same interest... Just another reason why we need feminism.

[korymillett]

I am the total opposite if I hear a guy celebrity say he's a feminist I don't admire him I am taking away his dude membership.

[wsc]

I dislike the idea that people can be defined, compartmentalized and treated based on characteristics over which they have no control. The meanings of words like feminism can rarely, if ever, be clearly defined so to accept that term as defining who and what you are is foolish. To quote that famous sailor Popeye "I am what I am and that's all what I am."

[diegomagana]

I like these kinds of videos a lot more than your other ones. I like when you directly question things about today's society more than when you explain the histOry of some tradition. Please do more of these types of videos. Don't stop with the other type, though. I like those too.

[zoeatrics]

Loved your thoughts in this video! Been thinking about this problem for a while and I couldn't really articulate it, but I love love love how you've discussed it - definite misogyny going on in public discourse about outed feminists. 

[sugarapplesweet]

It's not subtle.  It's blatant, and it upsets me in ways I can't put into words.

[DaOwlMonstar]

It also doesn't help that it's the female community that seems to nitpick female celebrities who identify as feminist more than anyone. I don't think I've ever heard a man dissect all the reasons he thinks Emma Watson isn't a "true feminist". That's not to say it doesn't happen, it just doesn't appear to be as prevalent.
I, myself, am reluctant to identify as a feminist (I can hear the collective intake of enraged breaths from here), and this is no small factor in that. Not only am I hesitant because of the overall societal stereotype of feminists, but also because even if I did call myself one, it's likely I would be ripped apart by the feminist community itself if I happen to disagree with any one of their credos.
I would never say I disagree with feminism or that "don't need" a lot of what it brings to the table, but the feminist community often slips past that fine line separating fierce support of their beliefs into downright viciousness against those who don't share the exact same beliefs down to the letter. I appreciate a lot of what their activism has done, but I'm wary of stepping into their ranks myself.

[Ariphonn]

I think that when men express their positive views on feminism they are met with such admiration because they are showing that they are empathetic. While women who proclaim feminism are seen as antagonistic and selfish, who don't care about other genders but their own. Also as a Man it is great when I proclaim support for gender equality, but I can be demonized when I say that I am a Masculinist (which is to say I believe in gender equality with my focus on men). When I try to discuss from a pro male position it is automatically seen as vitriolic against women. I think that people believe that human individuals are incapable of caring about anyone but themselves, and want to watch the rest of the world burn. While there are people on both sides of these discussions (and I am on a parallel side with feminism) that can derail discourse with selfish anger, and I freely admit that men are the worst offenders right now, I do believe that these ideas can truly reinvigorate our society, and should be openly discussed with much less vitriol.

[EMAngel]

People seriously need to realize how important the fact that the word feminisim is used for this is. Firstly, it sets up this pretense that it's entirely about women. Many people don't know any better and think that this pretense is actually the case, and people who do know better are still subconciously affected in this direction. It also gets this nasty association with women who just seem angry, hateful, and accusational, and unexpected addendums to presentations about topics that seem completely unrelated to their viewers/listeners. A woman saying that she's a feminist brings back these associations a lot stronger than a man saying that he's a feminist.

[iprobablyforgotsomething]

I think it's much harder to misconstrue a man saying positive things about feminism as really meaning to say/imply negative things about men, as opposed to when a woman says it because of the confusion about what feminism is. And there seems to be this view that men would only say they're a feminist if they really mean it but women say it to get attention/start a fight. Funny that nowadays I do see some people complaining some other people (read celebrities) say they support LGBTs to look PC but few assume a man would view lip-service to feminism in the same PC light (not saying all do). And of course, almost always assuming a feminist woman is a beyotch or over thinking things that she really shouldn't trouble her pretty little hypochondriac head about.

[rickhamilton]

In my experience when a male celebrity (especially one with a mostly female fan base) self identifies as a feminist a lot of men just think they are pandering to their audience. And if they choose to not qualify it and make blanket statements tends to make seem less credible

[ChrisBryer]

im not sure what you mean, i roll my eyes either way.

[MadsOcto]

I'm a male feminist and I think of myself as a good feminist :D I think there's a lot of greater feminist of both sexs and I have my faves amongst them but I think that there could be greater feminist (theoretically because I don't know how they could be better :S)! I'm angry that we need feminism and can't wait till we don't anymore :(

[kittymarie]

There is definitely a double standard. It's sort of similar to how if LGBTQ+ people talk about gay rights they are accused of being too militant or compared to the mafia or nazis, or told they are being too 'in your face' about sexuality and they should shut up and sit down, but if a straight ally talks about the same things they are praised for it and considered a compassionate and accepting person who is practically a saint for doing essentially the same thing a LGBTQ+ did and got slammed for. Same goes for race as well. Where POC talking about racism are considered militant, but a white person doing the same thing is considered a wonderful person for doing so. I think it boils down to the fact that for some reason people view allies outside of oppressed groups as not having anything to gain from speaking up, and so they think if you are a member of the oppressed group you are talking about something JUST because you stand to gain something from doing so, so the oppressed group is vilified for speaking up, whereas the person who speaks up but is a member of the privileged group is viewed as a saint for speaking up because "they didn't have to" or "they didn't stand anything to gain from doing so but did it anyway." Which I find ridiculous. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and as a woman I speak out for feminism and LGBTQ+ rights for the exact same reason I, a white person, also speak up for racial equality....because it is the right thing to do, and an equal and accepting world is a world I'd rather live in, whether or not when it comes to the issue in question I am a member of the oppressed group or the privileged group.

[liv]

Oh the irony that women and men are taking a stand to be treated and respected in the same way, yet they are treated in completely different ways when talking about how everyone should be treated the same. 

[brittanyssp]

I think it's the same for non-celebrities.  Male feminists seem to promote the most basic statements that women should be free to choose whatever lifestyle they want and be treated with respect regardless of those choices.  Sadly, many women tend to argue among themselves about which choices are acceptable (marrying young v staying single until a certain age, working v SAHM, makeup v no makeup, etc).  So it's harder for a female to be thought of as a feminist because someone is always going to be see something in that woman's life that goes against what they personally consider to be feminist.  I sometimes have to just take a step back from even reading (or watching/listening to) anything regarding feminism because it seems like everything is a double-edged sword.  One group will praise you for something and another will criticize you for it.  

[VictorCardosoMoraes]

Personally, as a feminist myself, I've found both sympathy and scrutiny. And I have to say, although I understand the extremist feminists' point of view, I do feel like there's a kind of radicalism to some chains of feminism that can keep it from actually spreading. Like the criticism around Emma Watson's speech on the UN that pointed she is not a feminist because she indicates some kind of (minor) opression to the "straight man" gender. We male feminists get that we are not the opressed group, and we want to help, but it does not make it easier to be stubborn and try to point out flaws in mainstream feminism just because you want to rub on men's faces that they are mean, evil opressors. Some negotiation skill is appreciated there.

[ummanonymous]

Woman says she's a feminist - she's accused of hating men
Man says he's a feminist - not easy to accuse him of being against anyone so he just gets congratulated/thanked/revered

I think the double standard stems from the 'feminism = man hater' stigma that only gets directed at women