Joan Collins is all about breastfeeding — not “chestfeeding.”
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, the Golden Globe winner of “Dynasty” fame published an impassioned opinion piece for the Independent, spotlighting the dangers she feels gender-inclusive language or “politically correct stealth” poses to women’s rights.
“It worries me that we might be inadvertently subjugated with the censure of female-only spaces or words like ‘mother’ and ‘breastfeeding’ (and told we must use terms like ‘female parent’ and ‘chestfeeding’ instead),” Collins, 89, penned in her open letter.
“We must beware that we are not being kicked back into inequality by politically correct stealth,” the self-purported lifelong feminist insisted. “And with the awareness that International Women’s Day puts into acceptable feminism, I truly hope that this will never happen.”
The silver screen star’s campaign against gender-neutral speak echoes that of “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, 57.
On Wednesday, Rowling — who has come under fire for her alleged transphobic views — encouraged her more than 14 million Twitter followers to join her mission to sway the British government toward defining the protected characteristic of “sex” as “biological sex.” The goal of the movement is to exclude non-biological women from female-only spaces.
“If you’re concerned about the erosion of women’s rights in the UK – the right to single sex spaces like domestic violence refuges, rape crisis centers and prisons – sign the Sex Matters petition to make the Equality Act clear,” Rowling tweeted along with the hashtag #InternationalWomensDay2023 as well as a link to the “Sex Matters” petition.
The online appeal is requesting that the UK government modify its Equality Act 2010 to make clear that the protected characteristic of “sex” means “biological sex,” and is not modified by a gender recognition certificate.
As of Thursday, the petition has received more than 101,000 of the 100,000 signatures needed to guarantee the subject will be debated in the British Parliament.
And while many on social media applauded Rowling for championing women’s rights, detractors accused her of pushing an anti-LGBTQ agenda.
“The equality act is clear,” tweeted a critic. “You are trying to force charities and organizations to discriminate.”
Another pro-inclusivity supporter wrote, “Just a friendly reminder: Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Trans rights are human rights. Stop eroding trans rights, Jo. It’s awful.”
Unlike Rowling, Collins hasn’t been embroiled in social media hate for publicizing her thoughts on the issue.
In fact, she closed her International Women’s Day missive with love, imploring women to “stay vigilant” when it comes to guarding their hard-won privileges earned by feminist pioneers.
“Since Emmeline Pankhurst and her brave group of suffragettes fought to win the right to vote (and I’m so glad she lived to see it achieved just before she died in 1928) we have made great strides for equality,” said Collins, referring to the UK activist.
“But we need to stay vigilant if only to honour the memory of Mrs Pankhurst and her brave dedicated followers,” she added, “many of whom gave their lives to gain our precious liberty.”