Shania Twain: 'I don't see myself as a feminist'
Country pop legend Shania Twain has revealed that she does not consider herself a feminist, stating that 'vulnerable men need as much protection as vulnerable women'. The 60-year-old singer, known for empowering anthems like Man! I Feel Like a Woman! and That Don't Impress Me Much, shared her thoughts in a recent interview with The Sunday Times.
Twain explained that while she shares the 'values and morals' of feminism, she has never embraced the label. 'I don't see myself as a feminist. I see myself as a very independent thinker and not necessarily because I'm a woman,' she said. The Canadian singer, currently on tour with Harry Styles, added: 'I am referred to as a feminist. I think I have a lot of feminist points of view because I am so defensive of the vulnerable woman. I just feel that I'm strong as a person. It's like saying, "You look great for your age". I'm not strong for a woman. I'm not independent for a woman. I'm not self-sufficient for a woman. I just am a woman.'
Men need protection too
Twain turned the conversation to men, challenging the notion that they require 'less protection' than women. 'That is so not true and it's not fair. Vulnerable men need just as much protection as vulnerable women,' she asserted. She also noted that the word 'feminist' carries 'so much negativity and confusion' that she has not embraced it, despite aligning with its values.
Body image and menopause struggles
In the same interview, Twain opened up about body image issues during menopause, which led her to avoid mirrors and become 'malnourished' in her quest to slim down. In 2019, she was carried off a Las Vegas stage with torn thigh muscles, admitting she was doing 'very unhealthy things' and overworking her body on little food. 'In menopause you lose control of your body. So all of a sudden I'm bloating and I'm definitely not in control. I can't just lose five pounds,' she said. 'I stopped looking at myself in the mirror. I hated my body. I'm like, "Oh, I cannot stand this changing body". But that was so unhealthy. Who cannot look at themselves in the mirror? Now I'm like, "Bring on the mirrors, I'm going to look at myself all day long!" Menopause has been very good for me because I've learnt that some things you cannot control.'
