Mark Ruffalo defends feminism, melts our bodies, the world

Mark Ruffalo is Hulk-ing out for feminism and WE LOVE IT.

Ruffalo recently reblogged a post on his Tumblr originally written by blogger Libby Anne Bruce, a post that was written last year in response to the “I don’t need feminism because…” campaign.

Bruce argues that the very women who say they “don’t need feminism” benefit every day from the sacrifices feminists made for them.

“You’re insulting every woman who was forcibly restrained in a jail cell with a feeding tube down her throat for the right to vote, less than 100 years ago,” Bruce states in her post.

“You’re spitting on the legacy of every woman who fought for women to be allowed to own property (1848). For the abolition of slavery and the rise of the labor union. For the right to divorce. For women to be allowed to have access to birth control.”

Bruce also highlights the laws currently in place that are thanks to feminism

“You’re degrading every woman who has accessed a rape crisis center, which wouldn’t exist without the feminist movement. You’re undermining every woman who fought to make marital rape a crime (it was legal until 1993). To make domestic violence a crime in the US (it is still very much legal in many parts of the world). To make workplace sexual harassment a crime.”

Bruce concluded with a massive smackdown that was honestly pretty appropriate considering the ignorance and disrespect she was up against.

“In short, you know not what you speak of. You reap the rewards of these women’s sacrifices every day of your life. When you grin with your cutesey sign about how you’re not a feminist, you ignorantly spit on the sacred struggle of the past 200 years. You bite the hand that has fed you freedom, safety and a voice. In short, kiss my ass you ignorant little jerks.”

We love Bruce for so eloquently and passionately giving her opposition what for, and we love Ruffalo for bringing Bruce’s words back to the internet’s attention and giving the message an even wider reach.

This is definitely not the first time Ruffalo has taken a stand for feminism.

Two years ago, Ruffalo wrote a pro-choice letter that told the story of his mother being forced to procure an illegal abortion, a letter that was read aloud at a right to choose rally.

“I am a man. I could say this has nothing to do with me. Except I have two daughters and I have a mother who was forced to illegally have an abortion in her state where abortion was illegal when she was a very young woman. It cost $600 cash. It was a traumatizing thing for her. It was shameful and sleazy and demeaning. When I heard the story I was aghast by the lowliness of a society that would make a woman do that. I could not understand its lack of humanity; today is no different.”

This past year, in the wake of the criticism Black Widow’s character received in the new “Avengers” movie, Ruffalo again stepped up to the plate and called for more female superheroes in the blockbuster world.

“I think part of the problem is that people are frustrated that they want to see more women, doing more things, in superhero movies, and because we don’t have as many women as we should yet, they’re very, very sensitive to every single storyline that comes up right now…when we do that with a woman, because there are so few storylines for women, we become hyper-critical of every single move that we make because there’s not much else to compare it to.”

Mark Ruffalo, you say awesome things every time you open your mouth, don’t you? Bless you, Mr. Ruffalo, bless you.

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