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Kirsten Dunst Faces Backlash Over Harper's Bazaar Quotes: Women Should Stay At Home, Cooking

The Melancholia actress sends women back a few decades... to the kitchen.

Kirsten Dunst has put her foot in it again.

The 31-year-old Hollywood actress, who is famously outspoken has this time riled feminists by telling a magazine women should be looking for their "knight in shining armour".

 



Speaking to the May issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, the beautiful blonde championed traditional gender roles in marriage - encouraging ladies to go back to the kitchen.

She said: "I feel like the feminine has been a little undervalued. We all have to get our own jobs and make our own money, but staying at home, nurturing, being the mother, cooking – it’s a valuable thing my mom created.

"And sometimes, you need your knight in shining armour. I’m sorry. You need a man to be a man and a woman to be a woman. That’s how relationships work."

Kirsten is no stranger to controversy.

Whether it's stripping for a nude scene in the film Melancholia, dissing the fashion week crowd, her weird teeth or her limp hair - her critics seem to have plenty to talk about.

Unsurprisingly, this latest interview has also prompted backlash.

Hayley Hoover, of popular beauty site The Gloss, had a few angry words to say: "Not only is it quite possible to have a happy, healthy, working relationship without the presence of a man and a woman, but it’s equally possible for straight couples to get along just fine without buying into traditional gender roles. Plenty of hetero couples reverse the old roles and have a woman breadwinner and a man caregiver, and plenty others choose to split both roles down the middle."

When it comes to knights in shining armour, it would appear that Kirsten has already found hers - the actress is dating Friday Night Lights hunk Garrett Hedlund.

However, not everyone feels that a woman should be sitting at home waiting for a man to come and sweep her off her feet.

Sally Holmes, of Elle Magazine, thinks she's living in a dream world. She said: "Dunst has watched a few too many King Arthur movies, because what?"

[Beyoncé pens a feminist essay, claiming gender equality is a myth]

[Hair on screen : Kirsten's Best Tressed Moments]

 

To give the actress a little credit, she might have a point about femininity being undervalued - all too often women are expected to take on more traditionally male characteristics in order to succeed in business or other tough environments.

But at a time when other popular female stars, such as Beyoncé, are encouraging women to 'run the world' and not be afraid of the word 'feminism', Dunst's opinions seem a little disappointing and old fashioned.

Do you think Kirsten's views are out-dated? Did she deserve the backlash? Let us know on Twitter.