Jennifer Garner's speech on sexism at Elle's annual "Women in Hollywood" event is going viral after she called the entertainment industry out on the inequality between men and women - starting with the fact that there even has to be a "Women in Hollywood" event.
"I mean, the 'Men in Hollywood' event is everyday. It's called Hollywood," Garner said in her speech. "Fifty-one percent of the population should not have to schedule a special event to celebrate the fact that in an art that tells the story of what it means to be human and alive, we get to play a part!"
Gender inequality in Hollywood particularly stood out to Garner after she recently attended the same press junket as her husband, Ben Affleck.
"Every single person who interviewed me, I mean every single one - and this is true of the red carpet here tonight, Elle -- asked me, 'How do you balance work and family?' and he said the only thing that people asked him repeatedly was about the [breasts] on the 'Blurred Lines' girl [Affleck's 'Gone Girl' co-star, Emily Ratajkowski], which, for the record if we're talking about them, they are real and they are fabulous. Take a look and enjoy," says Garner.
"As for work-life balance, he said no one asked him about it that day," she continues. "As a matter of fact, no one had ever asked him about it. And we do share the same family. Isn't it time to kinda change that conversation?"
Sara McGinnis, a parent blogger for BabyCenter, wrote a response to Garner's speech arguing that the entertainment industry is also being sexist against Affleck.
"I'm absolutely appalled anyone would ask an actor about his or her costar's [breasts], and feel if there is any real sexism offense happening here it's there," McGinnis writes.
"That's not OK with me, and neither are the throngs of recent articles discussing how to spot Ben Affleck's penis in Gone Girl, complete with detailed descriptions of what it looks like - which Jennifer seems to find acceptable, even giving a 'you're welcome' to the movie-going public," she continues. "[Breasts] and di--s as entertainment news fodder? If anything's unacceptable here I have to say this is it, not pondering how a person makes it to school pickup on time. I don't agree with treating anyone like meat. Actresses ought to be seen as whole and not just for their parts, and the same goes for the men."
