The 2017 graduating class of Tulane University got a special treat: commencement speaker Helen Mirren! This is brilliant idea! Let’s allow Mirren to do all of the commencements from now on. And let’s never invite Mike Pence to a graduation ever again. Or Betsy DeVos. Or anyone in the Trump administration. Everyone’s talking about Helen’s brilliant address this week, which included her thoughts on feminism, health care, Twitter and more. Some highlights:
On Twitter: “Whether you’re in the French Quarter or the Oval Office, no good can ever come from tweeting at 3 a.m.”
On her feminism: “I didn’t define myself as a feminist until quite recently, but I had always lived like a feminist and believed in the obvious: that women were as capable and as energetic and as inspiring as men. But to join a movement called feminism seemed too didactic, too political. However, I have come to understand that feminism is not an abstract idea but a necessity if we – and really by ‘we,’ I mean you guys – are to move us forward and not backward into ignorance and fearful jealousy. Now, I am a declared feminist. And I would encourage you to be the same.”
On healthcare: “Never again allow a group of old, rather grumpy, rich white men define the health care of a country that is 50.8 percent women and 37 percent other races.”
[From Vanity Fair & JustJared]
I remember Helen talking about feminism and stuff just, like, a decade ago and she had issues with calling herself a feminist. I think she’s just part of that generation (like Meryl Streep) who grew up thinking that calling oneself a feminist is like calling oneself an anarchist or something, that the word was so negative, so terrible, and so unattractive. I’m glad she’s come on board.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
can she be America’s national treasure too?
I love Helen. She’s one of my husband’s longtime crushes. Kaiser, I think you are right about the generational issue. I am just a little younger. I think I started calling myself a feminist in the 80’s when Reagan reigned. Even younger people were spouting that “traditional values” nonsense and the religious right was rising.
It is fascinating how many actresses, even in the Golden Age, lived like feminists.
Dont be fooled. Many actresses of her generation were openly declared feminists. Just off the top of my head Kathleen Tunner and Cybill Shepherd were not just self declared, they were publicly in favor of the woman’s right to choose. They were also MUCH bigger stars than she was.
Face it; she enjoyed pandering to the boys and wasn’t about to ruin that by using the F word. Now she is older and no longer needs to pander plus she increasingly needs feminist protection as she ages in a sexist industry and so she has seen the light. The actresses and pop stars hiding from the F word today will have sudden revelations at their convenience too.
You have put it so perfectly.
MTE!
Thank you.
That was very well-put. But, still, even if you’re right, isn’t it more important that she’s an ally NOW? Should we cancel Helen Mirren because she was late to the game?
@Turtle – Yes, I think it’s very important that she have support from other women. We have enough difficulty as women without tearing each other down.
I adore Helen. And I love her comments.
Some tepid tea: I’m not surprised about her not identifying as a feminist. Years ago I had lunch (through a friend) with a man who works in the theatre in London, and he was not a fan of Helen’s. He did add the caveat that she might be lovely and they worked together at a bad time in her life, but his comments lead me to believe she would not have identified as a feminist for the sake of her career and not putting off the men in charge.