Sean Penn: Men Have Become 'Quite Feminized' and 'Cowardly Genes' Lead Them to Wear Skirts

[demmiblue]

Sean Penn doubled down in an interview with The Independent on his belief that “men have become quite feminized.” The two-time Oscar winner generated headlines earlier this month after telling one newspaper, “I am in the club that believes that men in American culture have become wildly feminized. I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.”

When asked by The Independent to clarify these comments, Penn said, “I think that men have, in my view, become quite feminized. I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them. There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.”

Penn was being interviewed by The Independent alongside his daughter, Dylan Penn, to promote their drama film “Flag Day.” The publication made note that Penn’s comments on men becoming “quite feminized” left his daughter “quiet, staring into space.”

Penn most recently starred as a William Holden-inspired actor in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza.” His directorial effort, “Flag Day,” world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last May and opened to a muted response by MGM last August. The drama earned under $900K at the worldwide box office.

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/sean-penn-criticizes-men-feminized-1235166106/

[Coventina]

1. Wife-beater says what?

Go home Sean, you're drunk.

[pidge]

12. I guess he never saw a bagpiper.

[gratuitous]

2. Damn right, Sean

I mean, look at this fucken guy:

[tanyev]

3. I'm guessing he's not talking about the Proud Boys?

[Demovictory9]

46. wow...what's with the bright yellow skirts...do they signify something?

[tanyev]

47. It gets worse.

MAGA rallies have historically been chockful of strange characters and odd moments, but one of the queerest protests happened over the weekend in Washington, DC when members of the hate group Proud boys decided to make a point. They didn’t make the one they intended, however.

Wearing yellow and black kilts designed and produced by a gay man, a line of men formed up and flashed their butts to onlookers. Written in marker on their cheeks was “Fuck Antifa.” Because nothing says “straight and manly” like using a marker to scrawl a message about sex on your buddy’s ass cheek.

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/12/proud-boys-wearing-kilts-made-gay-men-flash-protesters-maga-rally/

[LakeArenal]

4. If "feminized" means the "de-worshipping" of John Wayne types...

Then Thank You Men. We women appreciate that.

[RKP5637]

11. K&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[samplegirl]

5. I adore Sean Penn

He’s one of my favs. Especially when he’s smacking down that fool Kid Rock.

[demmiblue]

9. Well, aren't you a peach.

[Caliman73]

15. Adore him to the point of not challenging a stupid view of men and women?

Is it all or nothing?

I mean, I love and respect my father more than any other man in the world, but that never stopped me from challenging him when I felt his views were outdated and potentially harmful.

[hamsterjill]

33. I think he's great.

He’s an awesome actor and look at all of the good he’s done. I don’t see anything wrong with his comments. He’s expressing his opinion.

But hey, let’s all jump on the “I hate Sean Penn” bandwagon because that really makes for a United Democratic base, right? Sarcasm, of course.

[iemanja]

39. criticizing Penn is dividing the Democratic base

[Demsrule86]

57. I do not consider Penn part of the Democratic Partyt and think he sucks both as a person and an

actor. He is overrated and definitely a bad guy who beats up the women in his life...and not just Madonna either.

[hamsterjill]

60. That's your opinion.

Duly noted.

You’ll pardon me, please, if I think CORE has done some good in the world. Or don’t pardon me. Your choice.

[obamanut2012]

51. Do you adore how he kidnapped and beat Madonna for a weekend?

Or do you adore how he abused Charlize Theron's child more?

[Demsrule86]

56. Sean Penn is a wife and girfriend beater...and I know this from a family member who arrested

him in New York. He is not worthy of adoration...and as for the kid rock smackdown...talk is cheap and he doesn't walk the walk. As a survivor of that sort of violence, I have no use for Penn nor others like him.

[cinematicdiversions]

6. Sean Penn wrote the worst book ever written.

I am in no way even exaggerating. It is the literary equivalent of that Joke in the Monty Python Sketch that won world war one by killing the enemy.

[Ferrets are Cool]

7. Wow, just stfu Sean.

[Haggard Celine]

8. Example?

The reporter didn't ask for an example? If a person is going to make a generalized statement like that, they should be required to give at least a couple of illustrations that prove their point.

[maxsolomon]

36. Exactly. Who's putting on a skirt?

Some fashion student?

Dudes on vacation in the S. Pacific?

Utilikilt bros, who usually wear boots and have full beards?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Do you need an IV?

[iemanja]

40. Billy Porter

and he looks damn good in it.

[Caliman73]

10. So...

What are "masculine" traits v feminine traits?

Is there a link between "cowardly genes" and wearing a skirt?

Does the above, imply that feminine traits are inherently "cowardly"?

How would men adapting some of the roles and characteristics of women lead to men becoming women exactly? Will we grow breasts that give milk? Develop vaginas? Or is the implication that women are weak and we (men) would become weak and "cowardly" like women?

Lot's of questions for Sean.


He's done good work in various fields and his philanthropy, but these are some really bad takes and fucked up ideas.

[a kennedy]

17. Ya think he watch Jeopardy for the 40 days Amy was winning?? 🤣 😂 🤣 or am I outta line???

[Cha]

13. JHC.. where does he get

that in his privileged bubble?

[Caliman73]

20. It is a result of his privileged bubble.

Being a man myself, I understand how the view can form. I was accused by men in my family of being feminized, a sissy, etc... for the mere fact that I would change my child's diapers.

If you do not actively fight against it, it can be easy to fall into a dichotomous view of gender roles and traits not understanding that they are a product of both physiology and majorly, of socialization.

I think that some men see "masculinity" as some kind of last bastion of identity. They may have more enlightened views on race, environment, social welfare, etc... but be clinging to the idea of "a man is a man and a woman is a woman"

[Cha]

23. My son changes diapers, too.. Not

"feminized". Helps out and washes dishes too..

Sean Penn has some positive attributes and some not so much..

Not sure why he has to worry about men and their Masculinity being blurred.

[Coventina]

25. Our school has posters for our nursing program that ask

"Are you man enough to be a nurse?"

I think it's genius!

[Caliman73]

29. Nursing is no joke.

People might seem to think of it as "wiping the forehead" but you have to know about conversions (for medications), surgical tools, first aide, and nurses are the eyes and ears in the hospitals and in public health settings. Doctors may get the glory, but they'd be nothing without their nurses.

[Sympthsical]

37. I recently switched to nursing

I had returned to school for a master's in psychology, but I swapped over to a nursing degree. The pandemic, my background, my mom was an ER type, there's a shortage, my partner works for a major healthcare system.

It just seems to check a lot of boxes. In classes of 25 or so, there is one other male with me.

But lord am I getting slammed this semester. "Here, enjoy all of the science." My BA is in history ffs, lol.

I am enjoying my adult anatomy coloring book, though.

[FreepFryer]

14. Weirdo (Nt)

[FakeNoose]

16. This guy doesn't have many fans left, I'm guessing

[Joinfortmill]

18. He's a hell of an actor for a horse's ass.

[Brother Buzz]

19. I double-dog dare you to visit our local pub when we host the Scottish Highland Games

Three-hundred-fifty pound men wearing 'dresses' would toss you like you were a caper

[petronius]

30. It would be an interesting question for a physics class, which could those kilted

strong men toss farther: a caber or a caper? Capers are lighter, but what about air resistance?

[Brother Buzz]

35. Big, big joke in my town when the newspaper misprint told us about the caper toss competition

We were all laughing about the vision of the three hundred-fifty pound men wearing 'dresses' tossing the little capers. We still laugh ever year, even after to games moved to another town.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

44. Made me laugh

Yeah I sometimes wear a utilikilt myself. Especially in summer

[radius777]

21. Older men always say this about younger men.

Basically it's a sign of being over the hill and washed up. Didn't Michael Douglas say something similar awhile back.

Ironic as Sean Penn and the characters he played (eg, Spicoli) were viewed by the older gen's as effeminate slackers.

[BlackSkimmer]

22. Stupid gowk. nt

[Meowmee]

24. Umm

What about kilts etc. what a moron.

[milestogo]

26. He's a great actor and does some good things with his money.

And he's also a model of toxic masculinity.

[Maru Kitteh]

48. great actor?

Let's not get carried away now.

[milestogo]

49. Yes he is.

[LearnedHand]

28. Exactly what the shit is he saying about women?

This is the basest, rankest mysogny and toxic masculinity. Get fucked, you troglodyte

[FirstLight]

31. Someone is sure out of the loop...

My daughter (20) and friends have done quite a lot to educate me regarding gender stereotypes and bias and the everyday mysogny we see also directed at "feminine" men...

So he said all this crap with his daughter forced to sit there and stay silent?

If I spoke the slightest bit like this my kids would CALL ME OUT

he's definitely showing his age and generational blindness

[roamer65]

32. Sean who?

[crickets]

34. Iggy Pop would like to have a word with you about skirts and women, Sean.

[Initech]

38. Has he never heard of kilts or mumus?

[harumph]

41. I'm going to weigh in and say that

many (not all) 20 something men are not very handy in the sense they don't know
how to perform repairs, etc., that have at least traditionally been looked at
as a domain of the 'everyman' (not exclusively). For example, I'm helping my future son-in-law learn to
do car maintenance that I learned when I was 16. However, to be fair - many of
my contemporaries aren't mechanically, electrically or otherwise inclined either, but it
seems a majority of men I encounter nowadays don't know shit about non-digital things.

IMO, there is a certain charm that still exists when a person is good at some gender-traditional tasks - regardless
of what type of work he or she does for a living or what profession they're in. I'm in the legal profession -
but will perform easy to intermediate repairs on our vehicles. I'm remolding our bathroom this month.
My spouse loves it.

[Demsrule86]

55. I am a female and in my home, I remodel the house and have flipped six houses and

counting. There is great satisfaction in anyone knowing how to fix things and improve things around the house regardless of gender. I used to change the oil and do easy car repairs as well, but newer cars are very difficult to work on and you need all sorts of gadgets to do it effectively so I leave that to my reasonable and very capable mechanic. the idea that gender-related tasks even exist is a sexist notion.

[Piasladic]

61. +1

I agree. My multi-talented male spouse is the most nurturing and artistic person I know, but I'm always the one that chases out the snakes and lifts heavy things. Then again, he knows how to use a soldering iron but hates to cook, even though he's good at it. It's all such a mish mash of gender sterotypes with us. We each have our talents, and I guess that's what keeps us together.

[smirkymonkey]

42. Who is he even talking about?

Harry Styles? I haven't exactly seen droves of men in my city parading around in skirts and dresses recently. I think he's making an issue out of nothing.

Just because a few male celebrities have been pushing the fashion envelope lately (and look quite good doing it!) doesn't mean they are any less masculine or "more cowardly". He's being absolutely ridiculous.

[oasis]

43. Desperately seeking Stanley Kowalski.

[Rstrstx]

45. You mean THIS Sean Penn?

[obamanut2012]

50. Serial wife beater says what?

Fucker should have gotten 20 years in prison for what he did to Madonna.

[obamanut2012]

52. Jesus, the people in this thread defending and lauding him

Sean Penn, Joe Rogan, JK Rowling. DUers love their Rogues Gallery.

[Demsrule86]

54. He is a piece of crap who reportedly beat all his wives and girlfriends...he was arrested in

in New York for hitting Madonna by a cop who is also a family member...there was a picture in the newspapers at the time.

[DLevine]

53. Just another clueless asshole. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

58. Sean Penn isn't my idea of hot. nt

[sanatanadharma]

59. Like this feminized and clearly cowardly individual

As one who looks considerably less 'warrior', none-the-less, I do frequently wear dhotis, traditional male skirt from India.
I have walked the streets of many cities in several countries while wearing dhoti; not exactly blend-into-the-environment behavior.