Celebrity feminism is killing feminism for all of us, says new research

For most of us having celebrity representation, well-known women speaking out about feminism and the importance of equality, seems like a great thing. But according to a new study celebrity feminists like Taylor Swift and Adele could actually be putting young women off embracing feminism, rather than supporting it.

The two year study, led by Jeerendr Sehdev, surveyed 6,000 people worldwide, and says the use of feminism as a publicity tool could actually be hindering the cause rather than helping it. A report from The Independent showed that up to 80 per cent of us don’t buy celebrity feminist credentials, especially if the person supporting it hasn’t shown commitment before speaking in public.

South-East Asia and Latin America were the most likely regions to be affected by celebrity feminism, but people in North America Instead of celebrities, 78 per cent of people polled said they wanted to see more high-profile multi-cultural spokespeople championing women’s rights.

Taylor Swift in particular was singled out – with 30 per cent of people saying they cared less about women’s rights thanks to her public involvement in feminism. Taylor was ranked fourth in the five least credible celebrities, behind Adele, Renee Zellweger and Olivia Wilde, and in front of Gigi Hadid.

On the other side, Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai topped the list of most credible celebrities, ahead of Lena Dunham, Patricia Arquette, Diane Von Furstenberg and Sheryl Sandberg.