Dolly Parton Explained Her Unique Stance on Feminism

Longtime fans of Dolly Parton know that she's been staunchly apolitical, something that she addressed in the podcast Dolly Parton's America, where host Jad Abumrad explained her unique brand of nonpartisan politics and even called it "Dollitics." However, Parton explained that she is, in fact, a feminist, during Timemagazine's special Time 100 Talks: Finding Hope event. Parton admitted that it was a "tricky" question, since she doesn't like titles.

"I suppose I am a feminist if I believe that women should be able to do anything they want to," Parton said. "And when I say a feminist, I just mean I don’t have to, for myself, get out and carry signs ... I just really feel I can live my femininity and actually show that you can be a woman and you can still do whatever you want to do."

Parton said that she's not "ashamed" of being labeled a feminist, but knows that she has fans on both sides: some that embrace it and some that turn away.

"But I'm all for all our gals," Parton added. "I think everybody has the right to be who they are."

Back in October, when the podcast premiered, Parton said outright that she didn't think of herself as a feminist, saying, "No, I do not. I think of myself as a woman in business. I love men."

Abumrad explained Parton's strange balancing act during an appearance on NPR, saying her statement was "a real surprise" to him.

"She is talked about openly as one of the great feminist figures of our time, and so I just figured she thought of herself that way," he said. "But clearly she has a complicated relationship to that term, as do many people who grew up in places in America that aren't the coasts."