Kristen Stewart Gets Why Her Generation Won't Call Itself Feminist

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 13 October 2014

A certain section of Hollywood is embracing feminism like wildfire.

Still, some young actresses are reluctant to accept the label, a trend the Daily Beast brought up (opens in new tab) in its interview with Kristen Stewart. The actress and cross-dressing video girl (opens in new tab) goes up against the thorny question "Why doesn't your generation see itself as feminist?" and wins, giving an incisive answer that shows just how well she understands the American Young Person:

"That's such a strange thing to say, isn't it? Like, what do you mean? Do you not believe in equality for men and women (opens in new tab)? I think it's a response to overly aggressive types. There are a lot of women who feel persecuted and go on about it, and I sometimes am like, 'Honestly, just relax, because now you're going in the other direction.' Sometimes, the loudest voice in the room isn't necessarily the one you should listen to. By our nature alone, think about what you're saying and say it—but don't scream in people's faces, because then you're discrediting us …

It's the overcompensation to where our generation goes, 'Relax,' because it's been easier for us, and because we don't have as much of the anger, so it's like we can't get behind it and it's a bit embarrassing. But that being said, it's a really ridiculous thing to say you're not a feminist."

It's true: We don't respond well to yelling, and we do have it pretty good (opens in new tab) compared to our grandmothers. But we also know life can be better, which is why we rally behind #HeForShe (opens in new tab) and Emma Watson, applaud Joseph Gordon-Levitt (opens in new tab), and openly discuss Annie Lennox's criticism of Beyoncé (opens in new tab).

What Stewart and company are saying is that if the old ways are no longer effective, it's up to us to create something new and relatable, whether that's an immensely successful Twitter campaign (opens in new tab) or female-directed short films (opens in new tab).

Teenage Boy Pens Letter In Support Of Feminism (And Emma Watson!) (opens in new tab)

8 Lessons Feminism Taught Us (opens in new tab)

Mindy Kaling: The Accidental New Voice of Feminism (opens in new tab)

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Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.