Annie Lennox wants more people to talk about "global feminism".
Annie Lennox for Good Housekeeping
The 64-year-old singer is happy people are starting to "talk comfortably" about feminism now, but says more work needs to be done in encouraging everybody around the world to stand up against "disrespect, abuse and disempowerment".
She said: "My current focus is to bring the term 'Global Feminism' into the zeitgeist. I'm so happy we can use the 'F' word now and talk comfortably about being feminists! Not so long ago, you couldn't even get the word 'feminist' published as people felt uncomfortable with it. But the word has come out of the shadows and everyone seems to be using it. Terminology is incredibly important.
"Global Feminism absolutely includes and welcomes men. We need men who are proud to identify with this issue. We are not criticising men per se, we are criticising negative and abusing behaviours. At the end of the day, Global Feminism is about the fundamental human rights of girls and women - why should we continue to tolerate disrespect, abuse and disempowerment."
Annie is mother to two daughters - Lola, 28, and Tali, 25 - and says she's "proud" of who they are as "human beings", as she's made sure to raise them with a level of compassion she didn't have in her own upbringing.
Speaking to the March issue of Good Housekeeping magazine - which goes on sale on January 30 - the 'Why' hitmaker said: "I think my daughters [Lola, 28 and Tali, 25] respect what I've done and am trying to do...I'm so proud of both the girls as human beings. I grew up in Scotland in the 50s and in my background, nobody hugged or kissed. It was viewed as too soft, as time were hard and the culture contained a great deal of stoic reserve...I've tried to make up for what I didn't have in my own childhood; I think hugging is very important along with telling people - especially your children - that you love them."
Tagged in Annie Lennox