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Nicole Kidman versus flight attendants: What about women's equality?

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Priyanka Srivastava
Priyanka SrivastavaApr 10, 2015 | 17:39

Nicole Kidman versus flight attendants: What about women's equality?

While shooting for the glitzy advertisement for an exotic Airbus A380, Nicole Kidman had only hoped to soar the temperature with her sizzling looks and go back home with a fat cheque. One can only assume that harsh criticism and caustic remarks were the last things on her mind while she shot for the ad "Flying Reimagined", for Etihad Airways A380 residential suits. Kidman evidently forgot that she was not allowed to separate her social responsibilities from that of her professional commitments. That she had no right to make tall statements in her impressive speeches to assert her commitment towards women’s rights and not standing by it.

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The Oscar winning actress has been openly criticised by the flight attendants union for endorsing an airways, which has notoriously earned the infamy of following “discriminatory labour practises” and reportedly treating its female employees deplorably.

As soon as the endorsement featuring Nicole cruising in the luxurious business class airbus hit the screens, an "open letter" was slammed by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) to remind the actress of her responsibility towards the social cause that she has been associated with for long. Kidman, 47, has been the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for women since 2006 and has been extremely vocal about women’s rights in society and work places.

The open letter by APFA members hinted at the hypocrisy associated with the celebs promoting social causes. The letter carries some excerpts of Kidman’s inspirational speech made at the International Women’s Day on March 8, where she imagined a utopian world for women. “Imagine a world free from violence against women and girls, a world where equality and respect and justice are not just the ideals, or possible for only a few women and girls, but the norm for all of us... I envisage a world where all women and girls have equal opportunities and rights... now is the time to step it up!” The same week, pointed APFA, Kidman made an appearance in the TVC.

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The APFA, in the letter demanded Kidman to join the cause of its 19,000 female employees, who have been fighting for their rights at the workplace. It cited a Wall Street Journal report on the airways, which has the policy of firing female employees once they became pregnant. The airways, wrote APFA had forced flight attendants to live in “confinement” in compounds.

The APFA has urged Kidman to terminate her professional partnership with the airways, urging her to stand by her commitment towards women’s right.

While the Grace of Monaco star is not in a hurry to react on the controversy, the Twitter war between Nicole Kidman versus flight attendants was widely noticed. The real winner was Etihad, which brought its luxurious Airbus to the forefront by way of negative publicity.

Last updated: April 10, 2015 | 17:39
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