Dolly Partons sister ashamed of star over silence on #MeToo protest
March 6, 2019Younger sibling says singer should use her position to speak out about abuse in the country and western music industry
Dolly Parton has been criticised by her younger sister for not speaking out more about sexual predators in the country and western music scene, after the star of 9 to 5 said she didnt identify as a feminist and indicated she had no interest in becoming a cheerleader for the #MeToo movement.
In a scathing attack on the Nashville singers approach to sexual harassment, Stella Parton urged her sister to use her position as a pop culture icon to advocate more for womens rights.
Im ashamed of my sister for keeping her mouth shut, said Parton, 69, who grew up with Dolly as one of 12 siblings to illiterate parents in Sevier County, Tennessee. She can run it when it is about something else, but speak up about injustice, Dolly Parton. Speak up. And speak out. Defend women, and dont just do it in a little song. Speak up.
Speaking on the Our Stories podcast for CountryLine, a fan app for country music, she added: This is the first time Ive really publicly called my sister out. But its high time that some of these older women speak up and speak out. Theyve all gone through all kinds of abuse in this industry so: speak up!
In an interview with the Guardian last weekend, Dolly Parton, a nine-time Grammy winner and star of the 1980 feminist classic 9 to 5, dismissed her co-star Jane Fondas assertion that workplace harassment was worse today than it was in 1980.
Im pretty sure its always been bad. Its just that with the #MeToo movement women are bolder to speak out against it, she said.
But Parton, 73, also indicated she had no interest in becoming an outspoken advocate for #MeToo or even identifying as particularly feminist. I dont think I mean, I must be if being a feminist means Im all for women, yes. But I dont feel I have to march, hold up a sign or label myself. I think the way I have conducted my life and my business and myself speaks for itself. I dont think of it as being feminist. Its not a label I have to put on myself. Im just all for gals, she said.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us