For decades, Meryl Streep has been considered the most incredible actress ever to have graced the big screen, having earned more Academy Award nominations than any other performer in history and three Oscars in her career - but her latest film, Meryl Streep's "Suffragette," just got her in huge trouble.
In all fairness, the t-shirt that has everyone talking about Meryl Streep's "Suffragette" role wasn't only worn by the "Doubt" actress but also by the rest of her co-stars in the feminism-themed film, namely Romola Garai, Carrey Mulligan and Anne-Marie Duff - but, of course, seeing as Streep's by far the actress with the highest profile of the bunch, she got the most heat.
The Meryl Streep "Suffragette" controversy began when the actress, along with her co-stars, gave an interview to Time Out Film wearing white t-shirts with only eight words printed on them: "I'd rather be a rebel than a slave."
The phrase comes from a larger quote by British feminist icon Emmeline Pankhurst, who was a big part of the women's vote movement in the United Kingdom in the early years of the 20th century, and Meryl Streep's "Suffragette" character.
According to The Washington Post, controversy has stirred after this Meryl Streep "Suffragette" photo shoot, as activists all over the Internet have deemed the phrase insensitive to actual slavery, as well as being disrespectful to those who have actually gone through this terrible dehumanizing practice, particularly African-Americans during the Confederacy.
As E! Online reports, Streep further made noise on similar matters a few days earlier, when she failed to own up to the term feminist describing herself as a "humanist" instead, saying she believed in a "nice, easy balance" between the two genders.
While many stars have turned away from the term "feminist" in the past (including recently "Big Bang Theory" actress Kaley Cuoco), others like Emma Watson are currently fighting to keep it relevant and rid the term of negative connotations.
You can see Meryl Streep's "Suffragette" photo shoot below and judge the severity of the offense for yourself.
INTERVIEW! We spoke to the mighty MERYL STREEP about fame, feminism and Hollywood fools! https://t.co/YH0dZPeHtA pic.twitter.com/iP6R0QwEd5
— Time Out Film (@TimeOutFilm) September 29, 2015
Feminism! Fame! Fights! Foolishness! Meryl Streep and the stars of SUFFRAGETTE speak out: https://t.co/XRVJ5avftI pic.twitter.com/4gpseWK8yc — Time Out Film (@TimeOutFilm) September 29, 2015
