Kaley Cuoco apologizes for Redbook interview feminism remarks

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      Big Bang Theory actor Kaley Cuoco has (kind of) apologized for recent remarks she made regarding feminism.

      In a recent interview with Redbook, which I'm pretty sure isn't read by anyone under the age of 50, Cuoco claimed she doesn't consider herself a feminist because she enjoys doting on her husband, tennis player Ryan Sweeting.

      Part of the "offending" statement: "I know it sounds old-fashioned, but I like the idea of women taking care of their men."

      (Loving and caring for your spouse, how terrible.)

      And of course people got pissed off about what she said because, well, that's what people do.

      In an Instagram post (do people no longer have publicists?), Cuoco said her remarks were simply taken out of context.

      In my Redbook article ,some people have taken offense to my comments regarding feminism- if any of you are In the "biz" you are well aware of how words can be taken out of context. I'm completely blessed and grateful that strong women have paved the way for my success along with many others. I apologize if anyone was offended. Anyone that truly knows me, knows my heart and knows what I meant. ❤️

      Obviously people were offended. Cuoco knows that. That's why she made this half-assed apology in the first place.

      However, I don't think she should have offered any kind of apology because there's nothing to apologize for—what she initially said was quite self-aware. When asked if she is a feminist—the go-to question for all lazy interviewers these days—Cuoco said no, but explained why:

      "It's not really something I think about....I was never that feminist girl demanding equality, but maybe that's because I've never really faced inequality." (Emphasis added.)

      Cuoco doesn't wrap herself in the label feminist because she's never known inquality. She's a pretty blonde white woman in a Western country. She's on the most popular half-hour comedy in the U.S. She's got a handsome husband and an adorable dog. She's fortunate, but at least she recognizes that, which is a lot more than I can say for other waify privileged blonde white women. (*cough*GwynethPaltrow*cough*)

      In Redbook, Cuoco also says, "I'm so in control of my work that I like coming home and serving him [my husband]." Commenters quick to condemn Cuoco got hung up on the last part of that sentence, but read the whole thing again: Cuoco has power in her job and agency over her own life. No matter what arbitrary label you want to attach to it, this is a feminist statement.

      She may not identify as part of our militant feminist social-justice army, but Cuoco has a lot to thank feminists for—not only for the having-a-job-outside-the-home of it all and succeeding in a difficult, fickle industry, but also for the ability to eschew traditional gender roles when it suits her and being able to slip into them when she'd like to. 

      Besides, condemning women for not calling themselves feminists seems like the least feminist, most counter-productive, time-wasting thing we could be doing.

      One final note: I don't want to speak for all feminists, but I highly doubt most of us care if celebrities identify as feminists. Journalists, here's your New Year's Resolution: stop asking women this question. It's lazy, it's predictable, and it's insulting that you can't think of anything more thoughtful to ask.

      Although, I suppose I'll take "are you a feminist?" over "how do you keep your hair so shiny?" and "can women really have it all?"

      Comments

      3 Comments

      JC

      Jan 7, 2015 at 7:57am

      Social media sucks. The general public is the worst censor you can have. Honestly, our old worry about Big Brother has come true, but we are Big Brother, which is scary.

      Well...

      Jan 7, 2015 at 10:36am

      You know free speech is dead when feminists take over.

      Not overweight

      Jan 10, 2015 at 10:13pm

      Kaley Cuoco is not a "privileged blonde white woman", she's a successful woman who, I presume, worked hard to have what she got. She don't have to be ashamed to be a woman, or blonde, or white, no more than she would have to be ashamed if her skin was another color.
      That word, "privileged", is being thrown around way too much these days and it's uncalled for and offensive.