In light of Zendaya’s recent film, The Drama, premiering worldwide on April 3, 2026, a five-year-old video of hers resurfaced, shifting the focus to the actress’ opinion on feminism.
In the December 2021 interview, Zendaya identified herself as an intersectional feminist — one who supports all women without any bias or discrimination.
After the clip recently went viral, her stance sparked outrage online, especially among those viewers who took issue with her support for transgender women.
“It’s just meaningless virtue signaling,” one user said.
Zendaya declared herself an intersectional feminist
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In late 2021, Zendaya was busy with the press tour for Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which she played MJ Watson opposite her partner Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.
In one of the media junkets, she spoke with a 13-year-old girl called Rosie for The Female Lead.
At one point in the interview, Rosie asked Zendaya about feminism and whether she identifies as a feminist.
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“A feminist is someone who believes in the power of a woman the same way they believe in the power of anyone else,” the Dune actress replied.
“I consider myself a feminist, but I would consider myself an intersectional feminist, meaning you can’t pick and choose which kind of women or types of women or from which backgrounds you choose to support,” she added. “If you choose to support women, that includes all women. I think it’s important to keep that in mind when you choose to call yourself a feminist.”
The term “intersectional feminist” was first used by scholar and civil rights activist Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, who, in turn, credited Black liberation activists Anna J. Cooper and Angela Davis with coining the concept.
According to the International Women’s Development Agency, intersectional feminism recognizes how different aspects of a person’s identity, be it gender, race, age, class, s*xual identity, religion, or economic background, can interact to shape their experience of the world and the barriers they might face as a result.
Zendaya supporting transgender women infuriated some users
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While Zendaya did not explicitly mention transgender people in the interview in question, she has voiced her support for the community on multiple occasions, including in a British Vogue interview from around the same time.
For the outlet’s October 2021 issue, she said that “true feminism” has to be “intersectional” and include “women who look like you, women who don’t look like you, and women whose experiences are different than you.”
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“That means black women, that means trans women, that means all women,” she added.
After Zendaya’s interview for The Female Lead went viral last week, netizens attacked her online for her comment about intersectional feminism.
“Stop using white woman rhetoric,” one person said. Another said, “They only ever say this when they want you to include men.”
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“Including the p*dophile women? Sorry, can’t,” said one more. A fourth commented, “Pretty sure she excludes conservative women.”
“You cannot be a feminist if you deny basic biology and pretend that a male is the same as a woman,” one chimed in.
Zendaya’s wish to work with Ryan Coogler also triggered criticism among netizens
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Ever since Zendaya recently returned to the spotlight, with four movie releases scheduled for 2026, she hasn’t managed to steer clear of controversies.
While promoting The Drama, which co-features Robert Pattinson, Zendaya expressed interest in working with Ryan Coogler in the future.
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Appearing as a guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show, she was asked whether there was someone she wanted to work with but hadn’t yet.
“I would love to work with Ryan Coogler,” she answered. Pointing out that both she and Coogler were born in Oakland, California, Zendaya said that she had been a fan of the Academy Award-winning director since his Fruitvale Station days.
“I always joke, I’m like, ‘I know I don’t know you, but I feel like you’re my cousin.’ He sounds like my family. His accent is so strong, and so Oakland, and he just makes beautiful work.”
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Zendaya’s statement upset many viewers.
“She hasn’t been in a role that centers Blackness the way [Ryan Coogler] does,” one said. Another commented, “Obviously, everyone wants to work with an Oscar-winning director now.”
“She didn’t wanna announce this before his Sinners run?” said a third.
“Say that to the TERFs.” The internet reacted to Zendaya calling herself an intersectional feminist
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