Meryl Streep, a feminist!

It has been generally known that Meryl Streep comes up for women's rights. The way women are portrayed in media and film, or the fact that women above a certain age aren’t offered roles anymore (men are...) or just simply the question why a woman can't be strong-minded. Why can't she? Why is the woman in the movie without brains, saved from the evil by a man? Or why is it that girls in movies should be pretty to look at and nothing more? Why aren't there more Miranda Priestly's with a real opinion, why aren't there more movies about women in leadership, like Margaret Thatcher - pro or contra Thatcher -, why aren't the real stories of unknown women told?

And for that reason, Meryl has given away her whole salary from The Iron Lady to Women's History Museum. We need someone like Streep who is able to speak for those who can't, who can contribute because of her fame, who can - let's face it - give away actual huge amounts of money because she has the ability to.

This is the beautiful speech from Women In The World Summit - I suggest that everyone follows them on any social media -  she gave to introduce secretary of state Hillary Clinton. So take your precious time to watch this  speech, it's not a waste of time at all. 

I hope everyone has seen the Barnard Commencement Speech? I will write an entire post talking about everything she said, but for now I will keep it to the essence for this post.

"Men are adapting... About time."

Is it normal that a woman can pretend to be a man? To be Peter Pan? To be Jack Sparrow, to be a president, a father, a brother or a son? Absolutely! But ask a straight man to play Wendy, to play the mother, to play the First Lady, the actress, the nurse or the Jasmine from Aladdin, and there is where the real deal starts, because honestly? We haven't really seen that yet. But as time passes, men are indeed adapting! If I were standing in front of you I'd make a little laugh, because adapting is maybe a misplaced word. But it's come to that. 

There were times where a woman wasn't able to be anything else than a housewife, a nurse or a teacher. Maybe a hooker? Oh, and an actress of course... Times women weren't accepted into political discusses, or debates, weren't even allowed to vote! Watch this thirty minute long speech, laugh, cry, realize and learn from the intelligent and ever gracious Meryl Streep!

I would like to now talk about the woman Streep will be portaying: Emmeline Pankhurst. One of the greatest, the woman who has fought and devoted her whole life for suffrage! Women fighting for voting rights called themselves the Suffragettes! The movie will be starring Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Carey Mulligan and Ben Whishaw. 

Emmeline Pankhurst                                                                       Meryl Streep