These celebrity men are supporting feminism and joining the fight for gender equality...
In the fight for gender equality, women need all the support they can get. So we're never happier than when a man declares himself a feminist. And when that man happens to be a world famous celebrity with a whole lot of influence, then that's even better.
So in the spirit of celebrating men’s contribution to feminism, here’s some of our favourite male celebs who are out and proud supporters of the cause….
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton wants dads to take on more responsibility for helping with childcare – as evidenced by his campaign for there to be more baby changing facilities in men’s public toilets. His petition for US chains Target and Costco to get on board with the idea got over 75,000 signatures in a week. “It is an injustice to assume it’s only a woman's job to handle changing diapers,” he said. "I would like my daughter to experience a world where gender doesn't dictate one's responsibility or limit one's opportunity.” Awww.
The best member (in our totally unbiased opinion, of course) of the biggest boyband in the world is a proud feminist. Besides calling on his fans to support the #HeForShe campaign, when asked in an interview if the band have a system in place if they like the same girl, he said: “We feel like that objectifies women. And that’s not really what we’re about.”
Feminism got the royal seal of approval in 2013 at the Chime For Change concert, when Prince Harry came on stage to deliver this message: "We know that when women are empowered, they immeasurably improve the lives of everyone around them – their families, their communities, and their countries. This is not just about women, we men need to recognize the part we play too. Real men treat women with dignity and give them the respect they deserve.”
Joseph Gordon Levitt
Speaking of his choice to identify as a feminist the actor said: "There were some people that were saying that feminism made sense in the past but it doesn't anymore because men and women are equal now. I'm no expert, but I think the facts are pretty contrary to this. There are still plenty of tensions and unfair situations that arise more so for women than for men."
Ryan Gosling
As the female population needed any more reasons to swoon over Ryan Gosling, he said this about his film choices: "I'm attracted to films that have strong female characters because there are strong female characters in my life." The star’s feminist values have spawned a host of internet memes in which his image is paired with feminist quotes – and a recent study by University of Saskatchewan, Canada found that men who looked at the memes increased their feminist tendencies by up to 10%.
David Schwimmer
The ex-Friends star is a director of a centre for rape victims in California, and regularly makes public appearances to promote their work. He said he was inspired to get involved by the experiences of two of his ex-girlfriends. "I've had two girlfriends who were victims of child sexual abuse," he said. "That sensitised me to the issue in a way that I hadn't been before."
Jon Hamm
Don Draper might treat women pretty shockingly – but luckily the actor who plays him has other ideas. “My mom was relatively young and raising a kid by herself, so I do consider myself a feminist,” he has said. “I get that sensibility. I'm certainly not a misogynist, no way, man; I'm down with the strong ladies.”
Andy Samberg
The ex-SNL comedian and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star gets infuriated when people question women’s ability to be funny. “It’s crazy. Since there have been men and women, there have been funny women…f--king idiot-ass men keep saying that women aren't funny. It makes me crazy. I find it disgusting and offensive every time."
