Salma Hayek Speaks About Being A Feminist: 'I'm Ready To Fight For Women'

Some were recently disappointed when Mexican actress Salma Hayek said she did not want be labeled as a feminist, when she received the Equality Now award at the Make Equality Reality event last November. The remark, taken out of context might’ve seemed anti-feminist but the full speech said as follows: “I am not a feminist. If men were going through the things women are going through today, I would be fighting for them with just as much passion. I believe in equality,” said the “Frida” star.

In an interview with The Guardian, Hayek cleared up all the rumors and stated she is very much a feminist: “I am a feminist because I love women and I am ready to fight for women,” Hayek stated. ““I am a feminist because I am proud to be a woman, and I am passionate about making the world a better place for women. “I am a feminist because a lot of amazing women have made me the woman I am today. I am inspired by women every day, as friends and as colleagues.”

The actress also spoke about how being a feminist does not only depend on an individual’s gender, “It should not be just because I am a woman. It should be a reflex, if someone else is being hurt, to help. It shouldn’t have to be because you are being a victim too,” Hayek continued. “I work a lot for domestic violence, and people often ask me if I have experienced it. And I say, no, on the contrary –- my father is a great man, my husband is a great man. But we are all human beings, no?”

Hayek co-founded "Chime for Change" along with superstar Beyoncé, which is a global organization to empower women and support women’s rights with projects to promote health, education and justice.