I Don’t Play Well In The Defenseless Corner – Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson thinks that everyone needs feminism

“Who wouldn’t want to be a feminist?” the actress asked, speaking at Marie Claire’s Power Trip. “We need each other, and we need men to understand our plight. We need men to be feminists.”

Henson’s declaration is particularly topical given the details that have come to light about Harvey Weinstein’s history with sexual harassment, among other Hollywood execs. “We’ve been hearing about this for a while, haven’t we?” Henson continued, on the topic of sexual harassment in the industry. “It’s just all coming up from under the carpet.”

“I don’t play well in the defenseless corner, and my heart bleeds for women that somehow believe that this other person has more power than you,” she said about power dynamics in Hollywood. “Once you tap into your power, no one can take advantage of you.”

Henson thrives off of obstacles, and doesn’t believe in complaining. “I don’t ‘woe is me,’” she said. She knew it would be hard for her, especially as a woman of color in Hollywood, and she combated that with hard work, and told other women to do the same. “If you change your own narrative, that changes the story,” she advised.