A New Chapter in Advocacy
On April 10, 2025, Jodie Foster, the two-time Academy Award-winning actress and director, made headlines at a press conference in Los Angeles, where she announced her new role as a spokesperson for the Women’s Rights Alliance (WRA), a global organization dedicated to advancing gender equality and supporting marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ women. The event, which was co-hosted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), marked a significant moment in Foster’s journey as an advocate, blending her long-standing commitment to privacy with a bold step into public activism. At 62, Foster’s decision to take on this role reflects a lifetime of navigating personal challenges, professional triumphs, and a growing dedication to using her platform for social good.
Foster’s involvement in the press conference was not just a symbolic gesture—it was a powerful statement of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and women worldwide. The event, held at the historic Beverly Hilton Hotel, drew a crowd of activists, journalists, and supporters, all eager to hear from the notoriously private star who has, in recent years, become more vocal about issues close to her heart. Foster, dressed in a sleek black blazer and white shirt, spoke with a quiet intensity that captivated the room, addressing the intersection of LGBTQ+ rights and women’s empowerment with a perspective shaped by her own experiences as an out lesbian in Hollywood.
A Journey of Privacy and Resilience
Jodie Foster’s relationship with the public eye has always been complex. As a child actor who began her career at the age of three in a Coppertone commercial, Foster grew up under intense scrutiny, a reality that only intensified after her breakout role in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976). That role earned her an Oscar nomination at just 14 years old, but it also brought unwanted attention, most notably from John Hinckley Jr., who became obsessed with her and attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981 to gain her attention. The incident, which Foster later reflected on in a 1981 Esquire article titled “Why Me?”, left her fiercely protective of her privacy, a stance that would define much of her career and personal life. She wrote, “I was supposed to be ‘tough,’ like cowboys, like diplomats, like ‘unaffected actresses’—not because anyone asked me to but because I wanted to show them (God knows who) that I was strong.” [Ref web ID: 0]
Foster’s commitment to privacy extended to her sexual orientation, which she kept out of the public sphere for decades despite being open with friends and family. In 2007, she made a subtle acknowledgment of her then-partner, Cydney Bernard, at a Hollywood Reporter breakfast, referring to her as “my beautiful Cydney.” However, it wasn’t until the 2013 Golden Globes, while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, that Foster publicly addressed her sexuality. In a speech that was both cryptic and defiant, she quipped, “I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago, back in the Stone Age,” and sarcastically noted that celebrities are expected to reveal their private lives “with a press conference, a fragrance, and a prime-time reality show.” [Ref web ID: 1] [Ref web ID: 3] The speech drew mixed reactions—some praised her for coming out on her own terms, while others, like Advocate editor Diane Anderson-Minshall, felt it was “cryptic and defensive,” arguing that Foster had been out in her private life for decades but failed to set a public example for struggling LGBTQ+ individuals. [Ref web ID: 1]
Despite the criticism, Foster’s 2013 speech was a turning point. It marked the beginning of a more visible engagement with her identity as a lesbian, culminating in moments like her 2021 Golden Globes appearance, where she accepted an award for The Mauritanian alongside her wife, Alexandra Hedison, and their dog, sharing a kiss that was celebrated as a symbol of “mundane queer love.” [Ref web ID: 13] [Ref web ID: 17] These moments of visibility, while still guarded, showed Foster’s gradual willingness to embrace her role as a public figure in the LGBTQ+ community, a journey that led her to the 2025 press conference.
The Press Conference: A Call to Action
The April 2025 press conference was a collaborative effort between the Women’s Rights Alliance and the Human Rights Campaign, two organizations with a shared mission of advocating for equality and justice. Foster’s participation was a natural fit—she has long been an advocate for women’s rights, as evidenced by her roles in films like The Accused (1988), which tackled sexual assault, and her directorial work, which often centers on strong, independent female characters. Her involvement in the LGBTQ+ community, while more understated, includes significant contributions, such as her 1994 donation to the production of the short film Trevor, which inspired the founding of The Trevor Project, a leading crisis intervention and suicide prevention service for LGBTQ+ youth. [Ref web ID: 20]
At the press conference, Foster took the podium with a composed yet passionate demeanor. “I’ve spent much of my life valuing privacy above all else,” she began, echoing sentiments from her 2013 Golden Globes speech. “But there comes a time when staying silent feels like complicity. This year, I’ve realized that my voice can make a difference, especially for those who feel unseen—LGBTQ+ women, women of color, women in oppressive systems. I’m here to speak for them.” Her words were met with applause, as she outlined her new role with the WRA, which includes spearheading campaigns to address gender-based violence, advocate for equal pay, and support LGBTQ+ women facing discrimination.
Foster’s speech also addressed the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ women, drawing on her own experiences in Hollywood. She referenced the 2009 American Music Awards backlash she faced after kissing a male band member on stage, an early taste of the homophobia that would follow her career, and her more recent encounters with stalkers, such as Celine Martelluer in 2016, who targeted her and her wife, Alexandra Hedison. [Ref web ID: 20] “I know what it’s like to feel watched, judged, and unsafe,” Foster said. “For LGBTQ+ women, those feelings are often amplified by societal biases. We need to create a world where everyone can live authentically without fear.”
A Surprising Commitment to Activism
What made Foster’s announcement particularly surprising was her historical reluctance to take on such a public role. In a 2017 rally speech at United Voices, a pre-Oscars event supporting civil rights, Foster admitted, “I’m not somebody who feels very comfortable using my public face for activism.” [Ref web ID: 4] Yet, the shifting political landscape of 2025, including ongoing debates over the Equality Act and increasing threats to women’s and LGBTQ+ rights globally, seems to have galvanized her. Foster’s decision to become a spokesperson for the WRA aligns with her recent comments about the importance of representation and evolving gender dynamics. In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, she spoke about mentoring young non-binary actor Bella Ramsey and the need for diverse representations of womanhood, saying, “There are other ways of being a woman, and it’s really important for people to see that.” [Ref web ID: 10]
Foster’s new role also builds on her history of supporting women’s causes. In 2018, she directed a star-studded ad for Independence USA PAC, urging women to vote in the midterm elections and focusing on issues like healthcare, immigration, and LGBTQ+ rights. [Ref web ID: 18] Her work on True Detective: Night Country, which earned her a 2024 Emmy for her portrayal of police chief Liz Danvers, further showcased her commitment to telling stories that highlight women’s strength and complexity, particularly in marginalized communities. At the Emmys, she thanked her out co-star Kali Reis and the Indigenous community, emphasizing the “power of love” in her acceptance speech—a moment of visibility that resonated deeply with the LGBTQ+ community. [Ref web ID: 11] [Ref web ID: 23]
A Legacy of Impact
Foster’s announcement at the 2025 press conference marks a new chapter in her legacy, one that balances her personal need for privacy with a public commitment to advocacy. Her role with the WRA will involve working closely with the HRC to launch initiatives that support LGBTQ+ women, including mentorship programs for young queer women in the entertainment industry and campaigns to combat workplace discrimination. “I’ve been given a platform that I didn’t always know how to use,” Foster said toward the end of her speech. “Now, I want to use it to lift others up, to show that we can be strong, visible, and unapologetic in who we are.”
The press conference concluded with a standing ovation, as attendees celebrated Foster’s courage and authenticity. For a woman who once shied away from the “lavender spotlight,” as described in a 2024 Out magazine feature, Foster’s evolution into a vocal advocate is a powerful testament to the impact of lived experience. [Ref web ID: 23] Her journey—from a child star guarding her privacy to a Hollywood icon embracing her role as a spokesperson—mirrors the broader progress of the LGBTQ+ movement, where visibility and advocacy continue to pave the way for change. As Foster steps into this new role, she carries with her the weight of her past and the hope of a more inclusive future, proving that even the most private stars can shine brightly for a cause.
