--- description: "It shouldn’t be, because it just means equality.” title: J. Law on Feminism: ‘I Don’t Know Why That Word Is So Scary to People’ image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7f7bd209d7018274/69888e44cd1bba580a70027c/jennifer-lawrence-feminism.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [celebrities](/tag/celebrities/) ## celebrities Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Jennifer Lawrence on Feminism: ‘I Don’t Know Why That Word Is So Scary to People’ by [Breanne L. Heldman / Entertainment Weekly](/author/entertainment-weekly/) ## Breanne L. Heldman / Entertainment Weekly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 8, 2016 1:40 PM CUT  Jennifer Lawrence, nominee for best actress in a leading role, arrives at the 88th Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California, February 8, 2016 Jennifer Lawrence, nominee for best actress in a leading role, arrives at the 88th Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California, February 8, 2016Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty Images by [Breanne L. Heldman / Entertainment Weekly](/author/entertainment-weekly/) ## Breanne L. Heldman / Entertainment Weekly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 8, 2016 1:40 PM CUT Jennifer Lawrence isn’t one to [hold back opinions](http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/12/jennifer-lawrence-her-wage-gap-essay-i-had-say-something "undefined"), and following [her much-discussed essay](http://www.ew.com/article/2015/10/13/jennifer-lawrence-lenny-letter-essay-sexism "undefined") on the gender wage gap, it should come as no surprise that she’s opening up about feminism – and people’s fear of just the word – once again. “I don’t know why that word is so scary to people; it shouldn’t be, because it just means equality,” she [said in the May issue of _Harper’s Bazaar_](http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a14989/jennifer-lawrence-interview-news/ "undefined"). “If we are moving forward in a society, you are feeling stronger as a woman, and you want to be taken more seriously. You don’t have to take away the wonderful traits that come with being a woman: We are sensitive. We are pleasers. We’re empathetic. All those things that can keep you from asking for what you want or making mistakes.” Lawrence’s comments come on the heels of _Game of Thrones_ star Maisie Williams [discussing feminism](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/04/game-thrones-maisie-williams-interview "undefined") in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “\[W\]e should stop calling feminists ‘feminists’ and just start calling people who _aren’t_ feminist ‘sexist’ — and then everyone else is just a human,” she said. “You are either a normal person or a sexist.” _This_ [_article_](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/08/jennifer-lawrence-feminism "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_EW.com_](http://EW.com "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4286479/jennifer-lawrence-feminism-scary/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4286479/jennifer-lawrence-feminism-scary/"},"headline":"Jennifer Lawrence on Feminism: ‘I Don’t Know Why That Word Is So Scary to People’","datePublished":"2016-04-08T13:40:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T16:34:42.052Z","description":"\"It shouldn’t be, because it just means equality”","url":"https://time.com/4286479/jennifer-lawrence-feminism-scary/","keywords":["celebrities","feminism","Television","movies"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7f7bd209d7018274/69888e44cd1bba580a70027c/jennifer-lawrence-feminism.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Breanne L. 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