Jessica Chastain just paid one of her Instagram trolls $2,000 (£1,400) for the best reason.
On Thursday, the actress uploaded a photo of herself celebrating International Women's Day to her Instagram account with the caption, "FEMINISM: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes."
The post, though simple and sweet, seemed to irk at least one commenter, Karin Schulz, who called out Chastain's stance on abortion.
"Yes feminist[s] that believe in God and stand up for The Unborn. I would be for that kind of feminist," Schulz wrote, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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In a world filled with snarky clap backs, Chastain did the seemingly impossible: She responded with kindness.
"Yes you can decide what is right for you," she wrote. "I am pro-choice and I believe that everyone has the right to make their own decision."
But, she didn't stop there. Chastain then clicked on the woman's profile and saw that she had a Go Fund Me account to help raise money for costly fertility treatments. Seemingly without hesitation, Chastain donated $2,000 (£1,400).
"You'll be wonderful parents who teach love by example," Chastain wrote in Schulz' Go Fund Me comments. "Someday you'll hold your baby. Don't give up."
This story is especially moving because it highlights the fact that women don't have to agree on everything to support each other. Feminism is about allowing all women and non-binary folks the freedom to make the decisions they feel are best for their lives. That doesn't mean, of course, that you can't fight for reproductive rights. It just means that, no matter how difficult, you also have to accept that some people will never align with your values and that's their right.
In addition to supporting women's right to choose, Chastain has been actively supporting the #MeToo and Time's Up movements by calling out sexual misconduct in Hollywood and helping other women in the industry get the fair payment they deserve.
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