Roman Polanski Quotes: Birth Control Pills 'Masculinize' Women, Gender Equality Is 'Idiotic'

In the wake of one man's comment that women wear trousers to be "hostile" to men comes a controversial opinion about the damage women have supposedly done to society by taking oral contraceptives.

At a press conference this week at the Cannes film festival, director Roman Polanski shared his views on modern-day gender roles -- and he's not a fan of birth control.

“I think that the Pill has changed greatly the woman of our times, masculinized her … that chases away the romance from our lives and that’s a great pity," the 79-year old claimed, according to the Toronto Star.

He also stated, "Trying to level the genders is purely idiotic."

A February 2013 report from the CDC revealed that birth control use is on the rise, and CDC data released in 2010 indicated that oral contraceptives were the most commonly used type of contraception among American women of childbearing age. And yet there still seems to be "romance in our lives."

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