Angela Lansbury shocked the nation by expressing some extremely dated ideas about sexual assault, such as: if you’re too attractive you will get “knocked down and raped.” Now she’s saying that that’s not at all what she meant!
In a statement to Deadline, Lansbury expresses remorse for how her comments were “taken out of context,” and explained that she is a huge supporter or Women’s Rights. She’s also pissed that anyone would blame her entire generation for the words that came out of her mouth:
“There is no excuse whatsoever for men to harass women in an abusive sexual manner,” said Landsbury in a statement given to Deadline. “And, I am devastated that anyone should deem me capable of thinking otherwise.
“Those who have known the quality of my work and the many public statements I have made over the course of my life, must know, that I am a strong supporter of Women’s Rights.
She also objected to those who attributed her ideas to her age:
“Lastly, I would like to add that I am troubled by how quickly and brutishly some have taken my comments out of context and attempted to blame my generation, my age, or my mindset, without having read the entirety of what I said.”
Lansbury is right, and ageism is wrong. Her ideas are bad because they’re bad, not because she’s 92. This is a moment for us all to learn, and grow.
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Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
