‘I can be a CEO and a mother:’ When Priyanka Chopra schooled a man on feminism saying it’s not about ‘beating the s*it out of someone’

“Can I answer that? Can I please answer it?” she said. “Physiologically, men and women are different, sir. There’s no debate about that.”

She then explained what feminism actually means—because clearly, there’s still some confusion. “Equality is not about physical strength… oh my God, this is so basic,” she said. “When we talk about equality, we mean cerebral opportunity.”

What does that mean in everyday terms? It means women deserve the same chances as men—not to fight people or lift heavy weights, but to lead, to work, to build careers and families at the same time without being questioned for it.

“We’re not saying, ‘I want to be 200 pounds like a man and beat the shit out of someone,’” she said. “We’re saying, let me do the job. Let me be a CEO. Don’t question how I’m managing my life if I’m 50 with three kids and still working.”

“I can be a CEO and a mother. That’s what I’m saying,” she ended.

As for the example the man gave—about a woman slapping a guy—Priyanka didn’t hesitate there either: “When a girl slaps a guy when he eve-teases her—he deserves it,” she said.

Her response wasn’t just a personal opinion. It reflected something deeper about how we see gender roles, respect, and fairness.

To add context on why such misunderstandings happen, Dr Shaunak Ajinkya, a psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, pointed to research showing that many people, especially men, don’t always recognise sexist behaviour when they see it.

“People often don’t notice sexism or don’t know how to respond to it,” he explained. “Research also shows that men are worse than women at detecting sexism. If a man doesn’t see the bias or doesn’t think it’s a problem, he probably won’t step in.”

Dr Ajinkya also mentioned a Canadian study that showed four ways men usually react when faced with sexism: some interrupt or redirect the situation, others react passively, and many just do nothing.

Priyanka’s words reminded everyone that feminism isn’t about blaming or fighting. It’s about being allowed to live your life without being judged for it—whether that means running a company, raising a family, or calling out bad behaviour when it happens.