Gloria Steinem just gave a feminist award to Miss Piggy (and the Muppets Instagrammed everything!)
One of our favorite real-life feminists, Gloria Steinem, just had the honor of presenting a feminist award to one of our favorite fictional feminists, the one and only Miss Piggy!
This week, as the Washington Post reports, Miss Piggy received a Sackler Center First Award, presented by Steinem and historian and activist Elizabeth Sackler. The awards are given every year, and designated for “women who are first in their fields.”
“She has spirit. She has determination. She has grit,” Sackler told USA Today, explaining why Miss Piggy had been selected for the great honor. “She has inspired children to be who you are — and this squares very directly with feminism.”
“She is definitely her own self,” Steinem told the Washington Post. “She isn’t trying to be either totally masculine or totally feminine, she’s human.”
Miss Piggy posted a shot of herself with Steinem (too much amazingness for one picture!!!) on Instagram with the Miss Piggy-est of captions:
Of course, Miss Piggy’s boyfriend Kermie was in the audience, and he got a great shot of his girl picking up her award.
Miss Piggy got to talk about being honored in a Time editorial this week, and this most glamorous Muppet had some A+ things to say about being a feminist.
“I believe that any woman who refuses to accept society’s preconceived notions of who or what they can be is a feminist. I believe any woman who is willing to struggle, strive — and if necessary learn karate — to make their mark in the world is a feminist. And, yes, I believe that any woman, who cares about her appearance, her star billing and most especially her percentage of the gross, is a feminist.”
She also took a beat to talk about being “a feminist pig.”
“…yes, it is true that I am a Porcine American. How can a … ahem, pig … be a feminist? After all, the p word has long been associated with the very antithesis of feminists “male chauvinist.” This, alas, is a vestige of latent “species-ism.” Sure, there are male chauvinist pigs, but there are also male chauvinist humans and, on very rare occasions and at their own peril, male chauvinist amphibians. Let us not besmirch an entire species because of the sins of a few.”
And as for the future of feminism?
“The answer is obvious — feminism’s future must be proud, positive, powerful, perseverant, and, wherever possible, alliterative. It must believe in itself, share its triumphs, overcome its setbacks and inspire future generations. I must, in other words, be a lot like … moi.”
Let’s just go ahead and give Miss Piggy every award in the world, girl 1000% deserves it. Congratulations on your big honor this week, MP, and thanks for always inspiring us to be our karate-chopping awesomest selves.
