Brigitte Bardot, the outspoken former sex siren, has made some controversial comments in the past regarding her personal politics. Now, the actress is in hot water yet again for her remarks. This time, the subject was feminism. In an interview with the Daily Mail’s Liz Jones, Bardot bluntly professed her views regarding the topic, which has been a hot-button issue lately.
In the interview, Bardot was asked if she considers herself a feminist. The 80-year-old actress replied, “No, I hate feminism. I am a masculinist.” The star didn’t elaborate on her comments, and when she was asked about whether she thinks feminism was too insular and if women should campaign for other causes like animal welfare, Bardot simply said, “I think that women do what they want.”
This is not the first time that the actress got in trouble for speaking publicly about her personal politics. Back in 2004, Bardot was fined for “inciting racial hatred” in her book A Cry in The Silence. In the book, she talks about her views on Islam, immigration, and the role of women in politics. She has especially been criticized for a section in her book that attacked racial mixing.
Another incident occurred in 2008, when Bardot was fined 15,000 Euro for a letter she sent to French Prime Minister Nicholas Sarkozy. The letter claimed that Muslims were “destroying our country by imposing their ways”.
Bardot, while known for her “sex kitten” roles, was widely regarded as a fashion icon and became a sort of figurehead for the feminist ideal of being sexually liberated. According to Hannah Ongley of Stylelite.com, the recent comments made by Bardot “should be taken as a warning of the dangers of confusing a woman and a woman’s image”.
Despite her attacks on immigration and other human rights issues, the French actress remains a staunch supporter of animal rights. Bardot founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for The Welfare and Protection of Animals back in 1986.