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Kate Winslet Has an Interesting Reaction to the Gender Wage Gap Conversation: 'It's a Bit Vulgar'

By Cindy Davis | Celebrity | November 11, 2015 |

By Cindy Davis | Celebrity | November 11, 2015 |


In the wake of many big-name actors speaking out about the wage gap between males and females who work in film and television, there’s really been a great show of support (excepting you-know-who) for change. Whether we’re talking about Hollywood or the corporate world, we seem to all be in agreement: get this issue out in the open, talk about it, and work to get the same pay for people who are doing the same job. The public conversation continues on a daily basis; only five days ago, the fabulous Helen Mirren added her thoughts on the matter, throwing her support behind Jennifer Lawrence, who in her open letter about pay disparity, wondered if women have been conditioned not to fight for themselves.

“I thought it was fabulous. I loved it, it was very personal and she’s right. We are too polite as women.” (Mirren)

As it turns out, perhaps those across the pond have even more difficulty openly discussing matters of money and contract negotiations than we Americans do, because when the subject was brought up to Kate Winslet, her response was… uh, interesting?

“I’m having such a problem with these conversations. I understand why they are coming up but maybe it’s a British thing. I don’t like talking about money; it’s a bit vulgar isn’t it?”

Vulgar? Really? I mean, I know our British friends sometimes like to speak about some things in a less direct manner than we Americans do, but calling discussion of money vulgar seems so antiquated to me. Could La Winslet’s mind have gotten stuck in one of her period film eras, or did I just miss that she was always so demure? (I don’t think so.) And no, that wasn’t just an isolated comment; Winslet continued:

“I don’t think that’s a very nice conversation to have publicly at all. I’m quite surprised by these conversations to be honest, simply because it seems quite a strange thing to be discussing out in the open like that.”

Additionally, Winslet says it would be “dangerous” for her to speak about what others say about the wage gap, and as far as sexism goes, she admits she’s “a very lucky woman” and “quite happy with how things are ticking along.”

So, she just doesn’t want to get involved? Doesn’t want to rock her own boat? Hmm…

Winslet’s answer to whether she’s ever experienced sexism:

“Honestly, no. And if I’d ever been in that situation I would have either dealt with it or removed myself from it. I find all this quite uncomfortable. I haven’t ever felt that I’ve really had to stick up for myself just because I’m a woman.”

It’s understandable that as an actress who found success and received acclaim from an early point in her career, Winslet feels blessed and has been lucky enough to never knowingly encountered sexism; her response how how she’d deal with it is great. But, the bit about being uncomfortable talking about it, or discussing money doesn’t exactly sound like the confident, straight-shooting Winslet we’ve come to love. Is anyone else feeling as corn-fused as me?

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(via BBC Newsbeat)


Cindy Davis, (Twitter)