Black times for feminism

THE fabulous Joanna Lumley will be hosting the BAFTAs next month, replacing that other national treasure, Stephen Fry.

Stylish Lumley, 71, is planning her big night outfit and would love to wear something typically vibrant.

But she feels pressured to wear black, as female actors here take up the monochrome “Time’s Up” protest against sexual harassment and abuse which began at Hollywood’s Golden Globe awards.

“At the Globes, if you weren’t wearing black you were virtually saying, ‘ I am Harvey Weinstein’s mistress’,” she said this week.

Forced

“Everybody will be in black out of terror, even though I would love to wear a colour.

“I love flamboyance and our industry and I want to celebrate it.”

Lumley also stood up for French actress, Catherine Deneuve, who’s been forced to apologise after signing an open letter calling the post-Weinstein campaign “a puritanical wave of purification”.

So Lumley will doubtless be branded a Bad Feminist like Deneuve, Bridget Bardot, Angelica Houston, Zoe Wanamaker, “Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood and the other famous women who’ve recently dared to question the #MeToo mantra. Now I don’t like, or agree with all that they say, but I support . hat their right to say it. Even when Bardot, 83, claimed: “Many actresses flirt with producers cers in order to get a role.

“Then, in order to be e talked about, they will say they have been harassed.”

Or Wanamaker, 68, star ar of new Sky blockbuster Britannia, who called the campaign “a witch hunt” t” then joked: “I’ve got a girlfriend who o was a script editor and she was constantly nstantly being touched up.

“I was just p****d off that at nobody ever tried it on with me.”

But by failing to jump on the bandwagon and voicing their own wn views, they’re now simultaneously “leading ng the #MeToo backlash” while “facing ng a feminist backlash.” It’s crazy. This “if you’re not with ith us, you’re against us” mindset is bullying llying in itself, and that is REALLY bad feminism. minism.

Atwood, 78, believes the # MeToo movement has been very effective but is now in danger of becoming g “a war among women... which is always pleasing leasing to those who do not wish women well.”

Joanna Lumley will become come the first woman to front the BAFTAs AFTAs since Mariella Frostrup co-hosted ed with Stephen Fry way back in 2001.

So I hope she feels free e to wear what she wants and shows her r true colours without anyone forcing her er hand.

Because that’s what good od feminists do.