“We shouldn’t be afraid of the word.”
At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Canada’s recently elected prime minister, Justin Trudeau, spoke about the importance of raising his sons to be men who respect women.
He first mentioned his wife, Sophie Grégoire, and how lucky he is to have a partner who is committed to women’s and girls’ issues. But, Trudeau commented, the focus on empowering one gender isn’t enough. “I talked to my wife and she said it’s great you are trying to be a model for your daughter, but you need to also talk to your sons,” he said. One of his sons is 8 years old, and Trudeau explained how important it is to make sure that the boy is aware of “how he treats women and is going to grow up and be a feminist just like his dad.”
The prime minister urged men and women to embrace the concept of feminism. “And by the way, we shouldn’t be afraid of the word ‘feminist,’” Trudeau said. “Men and women should use that to describe themselves any time they want. But that role that we have as men in supporting and demanding equality and demanding a shift is really really important.”
Previously, Trudeau announced that his Liberal Party “is unequivocal in its defense of women’s rights.”
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