It’s been a good year for girl power. From Time Magazine’s naming Beyoncé as the world’s most influential person to Miley Cyrus’s evolution and her encouragement of female sexuality, the quest to empower women has taken center stage. While some celebrities are quick to hop on the feminist bandwagon, others are reluctant to identify themselves with the “F” word. In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, Shailene Woodley joined this category when she answered a question about whether she is a feminist by saying:
“No because I love men, and I think the idea of ‘raise women to power, take the men away from the power’ is never going to work because you need balance.”
By definition, feminism means the advocacy of complete equality of the sexes, but the term has increasingly gained a negative and radical reputation as a way for women to assert power over men. Though she may not identify as a feminist, Shailene is quick to point out the importance of balance between genders:
“I’m very in touch with my masculine side. And I’m 50 percent feminine and 50 percent masculine, same as I think a lot of us are. And I think that is important to note.”
This isn’t the first time that Shailene has raised eyebrows – on her recent Divergent press tour she shared some memorable and endearing quotes about her all-natural lifestyle and hippie tendencies. The outspoken star may not be a feminist, but Shailene is definitely all about looking out for other women, and we can’t argue with that:
“My biggest thing is really sisterhood more than feminism. I don’t know how we as women expect men to respect us because we don’t even seem to respect each other.”
Amen, sister.
Check out the rest of the TIME article here and keep an eye out for Shailene’s new movie, The Fault in Our Stars, in theaters on June 6.