Kaley Cuoco covers the new issue (April) of Cosmopolitan. This editorial is no bueno. While it’s not exactly “country,” I do think Kaley looks like she’s ready for a hoedown in this get-up. Anyway, Kaley actually makes some news in this Cosmo interview, mostly because it’s taken her more than a year to correct a statement she made to Redbook back in December 2014. Back then, she was asked if she identifies as a feminist, and this was Kaley’s response:
“Is it bad if I say no? It’s not really something I think about. Things are different now, and I know a lot of the work that paved the way for women happened before I was around… I was never that feminist girl demanding equality, but maybe that’s because I’ve never really faced inequality. I cook for Ryan five nights a week: It makes me feel like a housewife; I love that. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but I like the idea of women taking care of their men. I’m so in control of my work that I like coming home and serving him. My mom was like that, so I think it kind of rubbed off.”
[From Redbook via previous Celebitchy story]
Right? So stupid. What followed was literally a solid month of nonsense, back-and-forth, non-denials, claims of being “taken out of context,” reiterations of her original statement and on and on. Eventually I just had to write this: “Kaley Cuoco still doesn’t understand feminism but let’s stop arguing with her.” And then I sort of forgot about it because she was so g—damn exhausting. But in this new Cosmo interview, Kaley was asked again about feminism and guess what you guys? SHE IS LEARNING.
On her marriage with Ryan Sweeting ending: “[What happened] changes the way I look at marriage, and that makes me sad. It does not change the way that I look at love. I cannot wait to be in love again. I don’t feel like I am ready yet… which is so different for me. I dive into everything.”
On her words being misconstrued when an interviewer asked if she was a feminist: “Of course I’m a f–king feminist. Look at me. I bleed feminism. I get equal pay to my male costars on a big show, I have my own home, I’m as independent as you could possibly be.”
On rumors that she and her costar Johnny Galecki are back together: “Johnny and I are very close now, but the worst part about that is I don’t want stories like that, especially during this divorce, to hurt my ex. We have nods with each other. Johnny and I do this thing like a nod that says, ‘I got you. I get it.’”
On kids: “I thought I’d have a baby by now! You see your life going one way, and then it’s the direct opposite way. I’m waking up going, Oh my god, my life just flipped upside down.”
Alright… give her a few points for finally saying the words “I’m a f—king feminist.” Just that identification, in this day and age, is important, especially since that self-identification eludes so many other high-profile women. But I still have issues (when don’t I?). I feel like Kaley thinks “feminism” is some sort of magical chant that you have to repeat daily to get equal pay, or maybe she thinks that she has to hit a certain pay threshold to be able to call herself a feminist. My point? I’m still not entirely sure she understands feminism, but she’s learning and growing and good for her.
Photos courtesy of Eric Ray Davidson/Cosmopolitan.
Why are all of these starlets constantly asked if they are feminists?
it started as a gotcha question to create outrage for clicks which worked very well. (and was terrible PR for feminism) now they all have pressure to identify even if they are not feminists.
I don’t get it though. If everyone is pro-equality between the sexes – which I’m sure most people are – aren’t they, by definition, feminists?
I was about to ask the same. It feels mean spirited and like anyone shy of Lena Dunham levels of “feminism” isn’t feminist enough. This movement has not united or freed women to be who they want to be. It’s pigeonholed them.
Lena Dunham levels of feminism? How is she held up a some kind of standard? I mean, sure, everyone is privileged by someone else’s standards, and possibly my brand of feminism feels privileged to someone else, but I feel like privilege is Dunham’s only claim to feminism.
because we should be talking about it.
I agree. I could not care less what Kaley Cuoco thinks about anything, let along whether or not she’s a feminist. Ugh…
omg this ^^^ why is every woman asked that? I’m so glad I’m not famous. I can’t imagine going to hang out with my friends and having them ask, “So, are you a feminist?” or going to a job interview or any random task in my life and getting that question. So over it. #askhermore2.0. Apparently, feminism is somewhat subjective, and I think my answer would just have to be, “I don’t know. Do you think I am?”
It sounds like she had a very fairy-tale image of womanhood, marriage and life. She probably had never thought about feminism before. I’m not making excuses for her, but I think you grow a lot when your world view is shattered by something like divorce, and you are forced to reevaluate everything you thought you knew. It sounds like she has grown up.
I agree whole-heartedly.
I agree. I kind of get that “simpleton” reading on her from day one. Not a lot of layers, not a deep conversationalist, not a bad person. Maybe just a little…naive.
Yeah, cooking is her hobby. That fine. It is fun to do nice things for your loved ones, but that’s not really a gendered thing. The fact that she makes it a gendered thing, like she cooks because she’s a woman, speaks volumes.
Oops. I just realized I responded to the “before” and not the the new improved Kaley. Okay, new improved Haley, great that she’s earning as much as her male co-stars, but that’s not proof of being a feminist as much as benefitting from feminism.
Why the vulgarity? So sick of this.
Sometimes a tragedy, divorce, or separation can make you a better or worse version of yourself. I’m glad that she’s choosing to better herself, and not jump into another relationship. Because she seems to get easily swept up in other people’s identities.
To digress, I know that people say rebounds are bad or whatever, but I’ve been dating my ‘rebound’ for 3 years, and he is my best friend and lover.
Me and my rebound are planning to move together, I am scared to death, because I think he is THE ONE, and he “jokes” about marrying me 🙂
But when he asked me out the first time (first date in years for me) my thought was “why not ?”
I think this can happen when the previous relationship is sooo over you are ready to restart again and you don’t even know it.
If this was your first date in years after the previous relationship ended, does it still qualify as rebound? (No snark, I really mean it. For me a rebound used to be the date I went on two days after ending things with another guy.)
I don’t know, I remember accepting a date with him few weeks after I broke with previous boyfriend. I did not even qualify it as a “relationship”, I was more “I’m having fun for a while”. Yes.
The while between me moving in my own place, and house-hunting with new boyfriend.
Married my rebound 🙂 I kept telling him “this isn’t gonna last, you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever dated.” Three months into things he said “I’m going to marry you one day. Maybe not soon. But just so you know.”
He was right.
She really is as dumb as Penny (her role on BBT). Bleeding feminism? Bless your little heart…. And you need to swear in an interview? It doesn’t make you look sophisticated or grown-up….
I agree. My first response whenI read this was hahaha.
Clothing doesn’t make the woman..or we would be blaming rape victims for their attire for luring rapists. Shaming women for what they wear is insulting and demeaning. The women who paved the way in feminism are not bitching about the various versions of how we describe ourselves as feminists. As for calling women dumb – well my feminist mother would say look at the source.
@Maxpowers where did I say anything about her outfit??? Or about versions of feminism?
I objected to her language, which leads me to call her dumb. Yes, I stand by my statement. As a feminist, I have no problem calling some people dumb based on their actions or statements.
@vauvert
bless your heart you that you didnt understand the F word was emotional frustration, and not everyone says fudge or drat. It happens. You’re pretty. 😉
@kimbers, I don’t know… if I am interviewed by a national magazine, I personally try to come across in a different light. But to each their own. My understanding of people using the word f*ck is that they lack the necessary vocabulary to come up with something more eloquent. Not sure how my being pretty comes into play, but thank you, yes I am.
As far as her being frustrated, if you want to give her that excuse, how exactly is she frustrated? She spouted all that nonsense last year about how she is not a feminist because she is cooking dinner for her husband (so what, I have been cooking dinner for mine for the last 13 years, unless I was ill and he cooked mine and brought it to me in bed.) I must have missed the feminism lesson that says you can’t be one if you cook dinner for a man. Now, she is telling us how very serious she is about feminism because she is bleeding it. Okaaaay then. Frustration.
She’s a mess. She should be a little more together at this point in her life, even post divorce. She’s got a Lohan vibe going a the moment and if she goes off the rails that is not going to endear her to Chuck Lorre who does not put up with lunatics.
Charlie Sheen, Cyblil Shepherd, Brett Butler… bigger names than in much smaller casts have felt his boot up their asses.
I find her very unattractive in personality and looks. I feel like the personality thing compounds the looks thing. I don’t get what people see in this woman.
And what she said about Johnny Galecki is just annoying. Does she think she’s the first person to share a meaningful stare with a friend?
It’s also a non-denial denial. I thought he had a gf but maybe not anymore.
She is annoying af to me.
More interestingly, it’s not a denial. Now it’s not like she’s not with him, but she doesn’t want to confirm anything because she doesn’t want to hurt her ex. Hmmmm Shady.
She is so annoying, although I love BBT.
Her poorly shaped eyebrows don’t help. They look like sperm.
For some reason she reminds me of Julianne Hough. Maybe that’s why I won’t be surprised when she’s on Dancing With The Stars. Vulgarity doesn’t make you cool, just the little nothing that you are. These girls try so hard don’t they, to be what I don’t know.
I don’t think it’s a matter of being try-hard. I think it’s just that some people swear, some people don’t, and some people aren’t used to/aren’t comfortable with profanity. (Which is why some people will be outraged or offended by someone swearing or see it as abnormal, try-hard behavior, while other people can hear a curse word or see it in print without even batting an eye.) I’m actually more surprised by people being offended by profanity while on a site called celebitchy.
All this feminism talk has really confused me. I personally think it’s more than just being independent and owning your own home, I mean that would make me a feminist by default just because I’m ambitious. Could you lovely ladies help me out with what it is you see feminism as? If you were a celebrity and was asked the question: “What does feminism mean to you” what would your answers be?
whatever my publicist told me to say to make the people i look down upon see my movies.
Simple: it’s the belief that all people deserve equal rights and opportunities, regardless of gender identity.
The ability to choose an independent career if desired? Just one of many examples. And not all “feminism” is intersectional feminism, which takes race, class, ability, and other factors into consideration too.
Oddly I like Wikipedia which is roughly; the belief in and seeking to achieve, the political, economic, social, cultural, and personal equality of women and men.
I like that too. But is it enough to believe those things should be true? Or do you have to be actively participating somehow to make the changes happen in order to be called a feminist?
By any chance do you guys have any good articles about intersectionality??? Or where can i find good info about it? Thanks!
@ crumpet: I don’t feel that you have to campaign waving signs in front of government buildings in order to be “allowed” to identify as a feminist.
Feminism is all about equality, and it is about choices. If you want to stay home and raise your kids while your husband works, and you feel that you should be given the equal amount of respect that he is given automatically, than I would say, yes, you are definitely a feminist, for example.
Everybody who believes that women are equally worthy of respect as men are, is a feminist by default, in my book.
Just because “I get equal pay to my male costars on a big show, I have my own home, I’m as independent as you could possibly be.” does not make her a feminist.
Pretty much what everyone above has said. And, may I add, whatever gender you identify with does not determine what you can and cannot do, nor what you like and dislike.
“To me feminism means that I want to work to help make a world where everyone can be treated with respect and given equal opportunity. One of the most difficult things I struggle with is this idea of living in a world where opportunities are denied to people because of their gender or ethnicity and this is just accepted. Whatever I can do to help change that I want to be able to do.”
Feminism to me is about independence but also respect and acknowledging that often the things we choose to respect people for or not respect people for is because of patriarchy. I’m tired of being told not to respect women because they wear less (or more) or that the problem is solved if someone in an already privelaged position becomes more privelaged.
Intersectional feminism is huge for me because it addresses the gap that feminism missed when it comes to race and class.
To me it’s about all people being treated humanely (as opposed to being treated as less than/subhuman) and equally regardless of their gender, sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, or physical appearance.
She is the one who said she wasn’t, because she “liked to cook for her husband” (dumb reason) and now sounds indignant, as if it’s silly to question her on it.
Hopefully she is at least learning something.
I know, lol. But she does sound like she is learning, both by seeking out info and from her experiences.
On a separate note, I’m not a fan but I think she looks kinda cute in the dress, although they could have dialed the photoshop a bit. They made her look oddly Aniston-like.
all this pressure to identify has now stripped the word of meaning. which celeb will now come out and say something different? how many people are self identifying racists? has that stopped racist opinions and actions.
pushing celebs to label themselves is way more about other people feeling validated in their own beliefs than actual equality.
i know so many people who dont believe in god and they dont identify as atheists, most people are mistrusting of isms and for good reasons.
+1000 on all your points.
In real life people 100% feel one thing and say a whole other when the assessors. But stick to that cos they don’t wanna get harangued or hectored. And I dunno why, but I just feel its the same thing in a few of these cases here. I can’t shake off the feeling that they are reciting taking points to avoid any ****** coming their way rather than their own honesty.
People do not like atheists, man. I might as well say I murder the elderly and stomp kittens. It’s even illegal for atheists to run for office in my state.
….” “Of course I’m a f–king feminist…. I have my own home, I’m as independent as you could possibly be.”
She’s f-king profited from the f-king feminism, I’ll give her that.
Lol! That swear word is going to be in my head all day now.
Tadpole eyebrows. Cannot unsee.
LOL. Found this for you.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3c/04/68/3c0468b26f41b731719fac8c00497404.jpg
That is perfect!
Ha ha. Tadpole eyebrows! Perfect description.
hey i can’t snark, she understood she said something stupid even though she doesn’t admit it, but she’s saying she’s a feminist now and it’s important to use the f word.
also, i didn’t know she got equal pay, that’s awesome.
So she’s a feminist, but on the cover of a magazine wearing clothing clearly meant to highlight her, er, physical attributes? Right.
You can be a feminist and wear whatever on god’s green earth you like. You can be a feminist and be totally nudey.
Aw she’s harmless and trying. And it’s a magazine for women so she gets a pass.
Feminism and dressing modestly are not the same thing. If we were to go by your logic, I guess we should start calling Ann Coutler, Stacey Dash, and Jessa Duggar feminists since they dress conservatively.
Being a feminist isn’t about owning your own home, Kaley.
It’s about the women before you (and yes, the men) who fought for you to now have the RIGHT to own your own home.
Why is this so f-ing difficult for some people to understand?!
I can’t help it, I like her! I think it’s great when people can change their mind. Yes, the way she expressed herself doesn’t portray the deepest understanding of feminism, but she never stated you had to have those things (house, equal pay) to be a feminist. She was just speaking about herself.
She doesn’t portray ANY understanding of the struggle for equal rights, let alone the deepest.
She takes it for granted. She takes her million dollar an episode pay cheque for granted. The fact that she can buy her own home for granted. And it doing so she dismisses the past struggles of women, and the present lack of equality for woman globally.
It is not ok that is 2016 this is even remotely a point of view of what feminism is. She hasn’t grown or learned anything besides some new ways to word her ignorance. She hasn’t changed her mind in the slightest.
It’s fine to show your love to your husband by cooking and taking care of him. But she shouldn’t have related that to her stance on feminism.
She is trying so hard to back-pedal back to like 3 years ago before she met this guy and cut her hair.
*siigghhhh* could we just trying to give this thirsty girl the Oxygen? she and the Dancing one that did blackface at the exact same RBF thirsty for attention trying to make us care Girl The same one!… I and I wanna pick NO ONE
She really seems to be not real bright. But then, she is getting a million an episode so who’s the one laughing on the way to the bank?
Her management team… kaching.
I knew she wasn’t that great as an actress to portray Penny “Dumb Blonde” so well.
“Of course I’m a f–king feminist. Look at me. I bleed feminism”
So no one else thought this was just the most awkward turn of phrase? I mean good on her for coming to a new stage of thinking but yikes.
It just sounds like she was drunk during the interview….
She still doesn’t understand feminism.
“Of course I am a humanist! I am a human! Of course I am a socialist! I love parties!!!!”
So… when are we going to start demanding male celebrities identify themselves as feminist?
I was thrilled when “feminist” stopped being a dirty word. Now I can’t go a day without seeing it used as a bludgeon against women. Which is the opposite of the point. I’m not okay with it.
Males that identify as feminists are so hot.
I posted this on an old article and never received a response, so maybe I should try here.
Is there a term for women who think not that men and women were created equal but that the natural qualities (strengths and areas of expertise that come naturally to each gender) imbued upon them create differences that put women above men? Feminism seems to be focused on putting women in roles that are traditionally men’s roles (which I think are below women) and then insisting that they are treated the exact same way men are treated. The way the word feminism is used doesn’t seem to fit the way I would like to see it defined. Is there a word for this or am I getting it all wrong?
Your post disturbs me so much. Not being the sole house cleaner is “below women” wow have you ever been brain washed. Sad for you. I love having a family and a career and my husband and I do chores together. Feminism is about choice. About only being a home maker if you WANT to. Not because it’s your “role” via birth.
On the contrary, I have not been brainwashed at all. I was raised by yellow dog democrats who couldn’t wait to be able to afford more things, so my mother went to work as soon as her last child was in school. She worked until she was 50 at the same job.
My point was not that being the sole house cleaner is below women, but that much of the money making that is done by women is below them. My husband also helps with chores around the house, but I am our homemaker. Being a homemaker is not being a made and those who think it is are ill-informed.
Of course there are noble professions and of course women should be able to choose to work if they wish, I’m not proposing domestic enslavement here. I’m just saying that women are born with natural abilities and strengths related to the home and children, but feminism seems to devalue these strengths and over value women taking traditionally male roles where (by and large-of course exceptions to every rule) they are less effective toward building a better, more stable society than they would be if they devoted that time to giving more care to their children and home (the state of which has a dramatic effect on the lives of those living in it).
I’m fully aware this is not a popular belief and that some may take offense, but please understand I am not judging or looking down on women of any kind. I love you all.
Miss Thang: not sure if you’ve read my post below yet, but one thing you need to keep in mind is that women are not born with special natural abilities and strengths related to the home and children. Some women are. So are some men. At the same time there are some of us who are not.
I’m glad that this is where your natural strengths are, and I’m glad it works well for your family, but not all of us are the same. I’m a woman who doesn’t have those same natural strengths and I am not any less of a woman because of it. I am just not you, so my strengths and abilities are different than yours. The other side of this is that there are men that have the same strengths and abilities you proudly have, and to limit those roles to women would mean that we as a society miss out on the benefit of the strengths and abilities from those men at home in addition to the lost perspective of women outside the home.
@Miss Thang: I think the first thing to address is that there are not “strengths and areas of expertise that come naturally to each gender”. There are, however, strengths and areas of expertise that come naturally to each PERSON. Some women enjoy being a homemaker and find that very rewarding, so do some men. Some women enjoy having a highly demanding career outside the home, so do some men. Not all women find the same things enjoyable and rewarding, and neither do all men. The point of feminism is to provide women equal choice/opportunity to do the things that she has a “natural strength and expertise” to do, and those things are different for each individual.
I hope you don’t find my response to be snarky, because that is not how it is intended. If you personally find that you enjoy tasks that were historically referred to as “women’s work” that is ok, but you need to know that not all women enjoy, or excel at those same things. Our strengths and abilities are not determined by our gender, there are so many factors that make up each individual.
Bleeds feminism.. that’s hilarious when her claim to fame was a role objectifying women.