Gloria Gaynor on why the “biggest misconception” about her is that she’s a feminist

Gloria Gaynor has revealed in a recent interview that she doesn’t consider herself to be a feminist.

The disco icon shared the update during a recently-shared interview with Metro, where she was asked what she considers to be the thing that the public have gotten wrong about her over the years.

“The biggest misconception about me? It may be dangerous to say this, but… that I’m a feminist,” she told the outlet, before going on to say that her relationship with the men in her life led to her dismissing the label.

“People say to me, ‘And since you’re a feminist…’ Erm, no. Not really. I love men… I grew up with five brothers, and I love men,” she added. “I love men who know who they are and are strong enough to take their place, but also strong enough to recognise a woman’s strengths and who are able to allow her to exercise those strengths and realise that we are to be partners and not opponents.”

It’s worth noting that the stance Gaynor has about feminism doesn’t quite align with the traditional definition of the term. While the singer seems to hone in on negative stereotypes, the general understanding of feminism is that it is a strive for political, social and economic equality among all genders.

The “misconception” that Gaynor would identify as a feminist largely comes as a result of her huge 1978 hit ‘I Will Survive’ – a disco classic that sees her gain a new sense of self-respect, and refuse to let the person who broke her heart back into her life.

Shared as the second single from her sixth album ‘Love Tracks’, the song remains one of Gaynor’s biggest hits and has hit milestones including a platinum certification, three weeks atop the singles chart, and becoming one of the most memorable tracks in disco. As highlighted by Consequence, it also went on to be hailed as a gay anthem, and a symbol of resistance and empowerment amid the ‘80s AIDS epidemic.

As for the singer’s more recent releases, her latest album was called ‘Testimony’ and arrived in 2019. It went on to bag a Grammy, winning in the Best Roots Gospel Album category. Going further into 2025, the singer has a number of live shows planned for Europe this summer.

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