In 2014 we saw the rebirth of feminism, which is now a mainstream movement with modernized goals. Celebrities from Emma Watson to Beyonce took the lead in rebranding feminism, popularizing it through songs and speeches.

Yet many others fell on the opposing side of feminism, most recently “The Big Bang Theory” actress Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting. In an interview in January’s Redbook magazine, she claimed that she was not a feminist because she enjoys cooking for her husband and feeling like a housewife.

In using this excuse for not being a feminist, Cuoco-Sweeting seems to have mistaken what feminism really is. Feminism does not mean giving up one’s femininity. It only means working for equality of sexes. Unfortunately she is not alone in this misconception; many other celebrities reject feminism for inaccurate reasons. Before they brush off feminism, celebrities need to do a little more research on what it really entails.

Despite its recent rise to prominence, feminism is far from a new movement. It was the foundation for women’s suffrage and countless other women’s rights initiatives worldwide. Today, feminism’s goal remains attaining equality for all people, but many celebrities don’t seem to realize this. They often use incorrect reasoning to support their opposition, distorting feminism into something it is not.

In a May 5 interview, “The Fault in Our Stars” actress Shailene Woodley told Time that she isn’t a feminist because she “love(s) men” and that feminism requires “taking men away from power.” But her claims are an incorrect representation of what feminism is. Feminism does not aim to take rights away from men, but rather create a level playing field by raising women to equal power with men. Feminism completely supports Woodley’s idea of “a fine balance” between genders, and it certainly doesn’t require a hatred of men.

“Lost” and “The Hobbit” actress Evangeline Lilly also dismissed feminism for the wrong reasons in a Dec. 9 Huffington Post interview. Lilly says she associates feminism with “women trying to pretend to be men” and she would rather “embrace (her) womanhood.” In truth, feminism contradicts her statements entirely. Feminism promotes equality for women without requiring them to act like men.

Women should be taken seriously no matter how traditionally feminine or masculine they choose to act. This means that, like Cuoco-Sweeting, women who choose to be housewives can promote feminism just as much as women who are in the workforce. While feminism may have originally intended to help women into careers, it now advocates for equality no matter what path a woman takes.

These celebrities do not appear to have anti-feminist views; instead, they just seem mistaken about what feminism really is. If its goal was to create a female-dominated society, feminism would not be worth supporting. Unfortunately, celebrities pass on their misinterpretations to admirers, which in turn give feminism a negative connotation.

It’s hard to find anything more influential than celebrities in today’s society, so their skewed perceptions have a big effect. But we can’t forget that there are plenty of celebrities who support feminism, and their views need to be heard now more than ever. Feminist celebrities need to make their views clear and public. Their words have a huge potential to restore feminism’s correct meaning.

But despite all the work these celebrities can do to promote feminism, they cannot fix everyone’s distorted view of it. Those making incorrect claims will still skew society’s perception of feminism and hurt the movement as a whole. Before publicly denouncing a movement, those in the public need to do some research on what they are actually criticizing.

Kathryn Krawczyk is a freshman magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at kjkrawczyk@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @KathrynKrawczyk.

Published on January 15, 2015 at 12:30 am

Contact Kathryn: kjkrawcz@syr.edu | @kathrynkrawczyk