General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMark Ruffalo: On Mother's Abortion And The Statement 'I Am Not A Feminist'
In 2013, Ruffalo delivered a speech that was read during a Jackson, Mississippi abortion rally. Here is an excerpt:
I am a man. I could say this has nothing to do with me. Except I have two daughters and I have a mother who was forced to illegally have an abortion in her state where abortion was illegal when she was a very young woman. It cost $600 cash. It was a traumatizing thing for her. It was shameful and sleazy and demeaning. When I heard the story I was aghast by the lowliness of a society that would make a woman do that. I could not understand its lack of humanity; today is no different.
Lately there has been a lot of social media discussion as to what feminism means and who "qualifies" as being one. In March, Ruffalo made an unabashed statement about feminism on his Tumblr page.
In March of 2015
My response to the I am not a feminist internet phenomenon .
First of all, its clear you dont know what feminism is. But Im not going to explain it to you. You can google it. To quote an old friend, Im not the feminist babysitter.
But here is what I think you should know.
Youre insulting every woman who was forcibly restrained in a jail cell with a feeding tube down her throat for your right to vote, less than 100 years ago.
Youre degrading every woman who has accessed a rape crisis center, which wouldnt exist without the feminist movement.
Youre undermining every woman who fought to make marital rape a crime (it was legal until 1993).
Ruffalo goes on to talk about the sacrifices women have made for their families and this country. It's worth visiting his Tumblr page to read the entire statement. He ends with this:
In short, you know not what you speak of. You reap the rewards of these womens sacrifices every day of your life. When you grin with your cutsey sign about how youre not a feminist, you ignorantly spit on the sacred struggle of the past 200 years. You bite the hand that has fed you freedom, safety, and a voice.
In short, kiss my ass, you ignorant little jerks.
*snip*
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/27/1387990/-Mark-Ruffalo-My-Response-To-I-Am-Not-A-Feminist#
?1432684989
marym625
(17,997 posts)Bravo!
Rockyj
(538 posts)He's so awesome and really has passion for what he believes in!
marym625
(17,997 posts)And he's pretty cute too!
clarice
(5,504 posts)marym625
(17,997 posts)But I don't think he's a furry
I crack me up.
clarice
(5,504 posts)marym625
(17,997 posts)Thanks
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)and he is too.
City Lights
(25,171 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)Good grief.
REP
(21,691 posts)Not illegally forced to have an abortion. My grandmother and mother had been in the same position; no one forced them to have an abortion, but due to the stupid prohibitions, they were forced to resort to unsafe, unregulated illegal practitioners.
merrily
(45,251 posts)I got that abortions were illegal at the time but I thought he meant that her parent or guardian forced her to get an abortion, rather than perhaps have a child out of wedlock. Parents used to go one of two ways on pregnancies of young girls. One was to avoid an abortion at all costs; the other was to avoid a scandal at all costs.
Out of wedlock pregnancy no longer carries as much stigma it once did, though it still has plenty of ramifications.
peabody
(445 posts)I love the part "You bite the hand that has fed you freedom, safety, and a voice." It's so true.
Coventina
(27,064 posts)City Lights
(25,171 posts)Salviati
(6,008 posts)wryter2000
(46,023 posts)n/t
Baitball Blogger
(46,684 posts)Endless Love would amount to anything. But, dang. If there was anyone who has managed to stand out and is becoming larger than life, it is Mark Ruffalo.
a kennedy
(29,618 posts)have always agreed with his point of view. Smart guy
progressoid
(49,951 posts)But he's still cool. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0749263/
Baitball Blogger
(46,684 posts)It was Martin Hewitt-whose career appeared to plummet soon afterward.
But what really made me feel old when I looked up the wiki information, it was that the movie was Tom Cruise's debut movie and James Spader's second movie!!!!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_Love_(1981_film)
trumad
(41,692 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,684 posts)His film career didn't start until '92.
Looking up the Endless Love info I found this on wiki:
"Endless Love is a 1981 romantic drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli starring Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Tom Cruise in his film debut, and James Spader in his second film role."
My, my. How time flies.
juajen
(8,515 posts)However, his face and remarks will certainly imprint him in this brain of mine That is some man!
Baitball Blogger
(46,684 posts)precisely because I thought (erroneously) that he was the kid from Endless Love.
There's a genuine intelligence about him that just comes through with each role he plays. And he's turning into an Ethan Hawke with the kind of movie choices he's making.
myrna minx
(22,772 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt
JustAnotherGen
(31,781 posts)He might be my other true love. Don't tell on me.
rurallib
(62,387 posts)he is so so right
underpants
(182,627 posts)Very good read
Heidi
(58,237 posts)Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)I love that.
mountain grammy
(26,598 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Solly Mack
(90,758 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,222 posts)TheKentuckian
(25,020 posts)CrawlingChaos
(1,893 posts)When a seemingly otherwise intelligent person announces that they don't consider themselves a feminist, it's a jaw-dropping moment. Now I just ask them if we really have to go back to the dark ages so they can figure out why the feminist movement needed to happen.
One small hair-split with his remarks - he says, "I am a man. I could say this has nothing to do with me. Except I have two daughters and I have a mother..." I think we need to remember that feminism helps both men and women, directly. Equal rights and responsibilities for all people regardless of gender is a good thing for everybody.
Skittles
(153,113 posts)I freely admit it
calimary
(81,125 posts)LOVE this!
Salutes also to writer Libby Anne Bruce, whose statement about feminism he reblogged an unabashed statement by writer Libby Anne Bruce, about feminism.
Mary Ruffalo and Libby Anne Bruce. Two thinkers who inspire us all.
AuntPatsy
(9,904 posts)Yavin4
(35,421 posts)and run for high office some where.
He is awesome!
niyad
(113,075 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,503 posts)onecaliberal
(32,783 posts)WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)Pacifist Patriot
(24,653 posts)wryter2000
(46,023 posts)So many men get it, when, sadly, so many women don't.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)TDale313
(7,820 posts)He's great.