Brit + Co Logo
brit logo
Search
AI  powered

This Week’s Stories

Show, stolen.

Here’s Why Twitter Is at War Over Ashley Judd’s Women’s March Speech

Here’s Why Twitter Is at War Over Ashley Judd’s Women’s March Speech

While there was no short of utterly inspiring speakers at today’s record-breaking Women’s March in Washington (find some of our favorite quotes here!), including such influential women as Gloria Steinem, Scarlett Johansson and America Ferrera, it was Ashley Judd that had the world’s full attention.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Ashley Judd attends the rally at the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

From the very moment she took the stage, busting into the middle of Michael Moore’s speech, girl was fired up and raring to go, and boy, did she have a lot to say!

“My name is Ashley Judd, and I am a feminist!” she began.

From there, she gave the performance of a lifetime as she read a stirring, if controversial poem from a 19-year-old Tennessee woman named Nina Donovan.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Ashley Judd appears onstage during the rally at the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Climbing aboard the #NastyWoman train, the poem called out our society and its leaders for everything from racism (“I am not as nasty as a Confederate flag being tattooed across my city…“I am not as nasty as a swastika painted on a pride flag.”) to the inequality surrounding tampon taxing.

Pointing out that supplements, such as Viagra and Rogaine, for “embarrassing” men’s issues, were not, in fact taxed, Ashley asked the crowd, “Why is the bloodstain on my jeans more embarrassing than the thinning of your hair?”

She also addressed fellow speaker Scarlet Johansson, who has openly tackled the wage gap in Hollywood in the past. “Scarlett Johnasson, why were the female actors paid less than half of what the male actors earned last year?”

Some were absolutely living for her impassioned speech, rooting her on in real time…

Others, however, thought the poem took it wayyyyyyy too far with some of the lower blows it threw the President’s way, which included controversial comments on his appearance (“I’m not as nasty as a man who looks like he bathes in Cheeto dust”), his family members and unfavorable comparisons: In fact, they were downright disgusted.

One thing’s for sure: It’s a speech none of us will be forgetting anytime soon.

See the full speech in its entirety below.

What was your take on Ashley’s words? Tell us over @BritandCo.

(Photo via Kevin Mazur/Getty)