He’s an actor, she’s an international human rights lawyer.

Yet, all too often, Amal Clooney is referred to as “George Clooney’s wife”. 

As if none of her achievements - including her Oxford degree, a fight for recognition of the Armenian Genocide and advocacy for Yazidi women abused under ISIS - are meaningful. 

In the context of a well-known man, Amal Clooney is reduced to a mere appendage. 

It’s a subtly damaging tic, and one that her husband, George Clooney, sought to balance this weekend, as he hit the stage at Variety’s Power of Women luncheon in Beverly Hills.

Taking to the podium, the Hollywood star quipped: “Hi, I’m George and I’m Amal Clooney’s husband.”

The room immediately broke out in laughter and welcome applause, to which he responded:  “Oh I know, I know. I can read this room.”

Needless to say, Clooney’s feminist aside was met with elation on Twitter, where people were quick to applaud the sentiment behind the very deliberate intro:

Amal Clooney was not there to witness the moment - she was presenting at the 2018 Pennsylvania Conference for Women - but other luncheon guests in the audience included actors Thandie Newton and Natalie Portman.

George Clooney attended the event in order to present an award to “fearless” Emma Gonzalez, a student survivor of a mass shooting in Florida who staged a silent protest in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

During his emotional speech, Clooney also had a message for Donald Trump. The president recently mocked Doctor Christine Blasey Ford, after she testified that she was sexually assaulted by US Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Referring to the upcoming mid-term elections, Clooney said: “When you tell women that coming forward to testify about their abuse is a joke, don’t be shocked when they’re standing on your lawn, laughing on Nov. 7.”

Well said, that man.

Images: Getty