Actress Halle Berry details how she combats sexism and gender stereotypes with her 7-year-old son



Actress Halle Berry says she encourages her 7-year-old son, Maceo, to challenge gender stereotypes in order to stop him from feeling "superior to women," the Daily Mail reports.

Berry made the remarks during a recent virtual panel on "women breaking barriers" in the entertainment industry.

What are the details?

On Monday, the outlet reported that Berry, 54, says she has been teaching her son — who she shares with her ex-husband, French actor Olivier Martinez — to challenge the stereotypes since he was 5 years old.

"I have realized what my job is in raising him," she said in remarks delivered virtually at last weekend's Hollywood Foreign Press Association panel titled "Women Breaking Barriers: An Industry Shift as part of the Sundance Film Festival."

"If we want to have a future that's different, that is where it starts," Berry added. "You made me think of how many conversations I've had with him, say, since he's turned five years old about the differences in boys and girls, and I see how he's taught to feel like he's superior, at five, that girls are."

She continued, pointing out that she's had to give her son a "new perspective" on his innate superiority.

She explained, "I've had to really break that down for him and give him a new perspective, and challenge those thoughts and ask him to identify where that comes from, and if he believes that or not, and challenge what he's subconsciously getting from somewhere.

"I can tell that because we're having these conversations he is going to grow as a deep thinker on the subject," the award-winning actress insisted. "He is going to be determined not to just accept it."

Berry said that she will often challenge her son by asking why certain colors are "girl colors."

Berry is also mother to a 12-year-old girl, Nahla, whom she shares with ex-partner, model Gabriel Aubry.

Actress Busy Philipps says 12-year-old daughter Birdie is 'gay and out,' prefers 'they/them' pronouns



Actress Busy Philipps says that her 12-year-old child Birdie — a biologically born female — is "gay and out" and prefers to use "they" and "them" personal pronouns.

Philipps, best known for her roles on "Dawson's Creek" and "Freaks and Geeks," shares Birdie and 7-year-old Cricket Pearl with her husband, filmmaker Marc Silverstein.

What are the details?

Philipps, during a recent episode of her podcast "Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best," said that Birdie came out to her and the rest of the family when the child was just 10 years old, according to Fox News.

"For those of you who are my friends listening at home, this is the first you're hearing that Birdie is gay and out," she said of her 12-year-old child. "Birdie told us at 10 years old and we immediately ... I mean, obviously, I knew that Birdie knew."

Philipps also explained that the child prefers to use "they" and "them" personal pronouns, which are typically reserved for people who consider themselves to be non-binary.

"I said, 'You know, Bird, I've been doing a bad job with the pronouns,'" she recalled of a recent conversation with the child. "Because Birdie said that they would like their pronouns to be they/them, and I haven't been doing it, and I said because I have this public persona and I want Birdie to be in control of their own narrative and not have to answer to anybody outside of our friends and family if they don't want to."

Philipps added that she made sure to get permission from the 12-year-old before sharing any personal information on her podcast.

"Bird was like, 'I don't give a f***,'" Philipps said. "'You can talk about how I'm gay and out; you can talk about my pronouns. That would be cool with me. That's great.' So I said, 'OK, I can talk about it on the podcast.'"

Philipps pointed out that she is trying her best to accommodate her child's requests.

"So Birdie, my out kid, prefers they/them," she added. "I f*** up sometimes, but I'm trying my best at that, too."