“If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are—we can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is about. It’s about freedom.” – Emma Watson, September 20, 2014.
In this time when it seems ‘cool’ for female celebrities like Shailene Woodley to tell people they don’t believe in feminism, Emma Watson is standing up in the name of fe(males) everywhere. On September 20, Emma Watson, a recent United Nations Goodwill Ambassador spoke in New York for the HeForShe campaign on gender equality.
And people all over the internet are amazed and impressed. I had to watch the video of her speech a few times, because I was so amazed at how spot on she was. Emma Watson has been known for a very long time as a face of strength for young women, from her eagerness to play the role of strong, intelligent, Hermione Granger to her ‘laughing in public’ photo posted after a sexist comment was made by the Turkish Prime Minister.
However, this weekend she took it to a whole new level and she gained respect from many people around the world saying, “Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong… It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum not as two opposing sets of ideals.”
I’ve always admired Emma Watson. Growing up in Rhode Island, I spent my high school years, walking around near Brown University hoping to catch a glimpse of her (which I did, several times much to my high school excitement). I read her tweets, and her Facebook posts, and all of her interviews and have always thought, “Wow, that’s someone that I want to be like. That’s someone who has her life together. That’s someone who is going to do something amazing, something very special.” And I was right.
After watching the video and reading the transcript of her speech, I was moved to tears by what she had to say. So much so that my roommate thought something was seriously wrong with me, when actuality everything was right. Emma Watson was able to hit every nail on the head about feminism and gender equality that we’ve all been trying to say. And she said it with so much passion and hope that no one else could possibly have said it better.
“I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.” Bravo, Emma! Feminism is about equality. It’s about equality of everyone. It’s not about hating on the male gender. It’s the belief that men and women are equal. Neither one is better than the other. When did feminism, something that empowers everyone become something associated with aggression to the male sex? And to take that question further, why are women who believe in equality, who are feminist considered less attractive? Why do people believe that feminism will make them less attractive? Emma addressed the developments that have been pushing feminism into being something that it is not, and something that women try to stay away from in fear that it will make them less attractive to men. Everyone should be proud to be a feminist. Don’t step away from feminism because you are afraid that it will make you less attractive. If that person is the right person, they will want to empower you, and everyone else. “But my recent research has shown me that feminism has become an unpopular word. Apparently I am among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, anti-men and, unattractive.”
As Americans we’re proud to say that we believe in equality, that we believe that all people are created equal. We believe that life should be color blind. But why don’t we believe in being gender blind? Why does equality end at sex?
Half way through the speech, Watson takes a stand and says that not everyone has been given the opportunities that she has, the rights that she has, and continues to say, “And if you still hate the word—it is not the word that is important but the idea and the ambition behind it.” This hit me so hard for so many reasons. People associate feminism with hating men because it is an easy way for them to hold women back. Feminism means strength. And those that hate the word feminism want women to be weak. They give the word bad connotations because they want to hold us down, and force us to obey gender roles. This is 2014. We deserve equality. We deserve to be strong.
And the part that I loved the most about her speech? She addressed men. Watson invites men to join the fight for equal rights, saying that, “Gender equality is your issue too.” We’ve been saying this forever! Men are women’s allies! We are all human. Male, or female, we are human. And men don’t have complete equality either, something else Watson addresses. “If men don’t have to be aggressive in order to be accepted women won’t feel compelled to be submissive. If men don’t have to control, women won’t have to be controlled.”
Both men and women are forced into gender roles, and the reality is that both men and women need to work, to fight in order to make sure that we are all treated with equality, that we all deserve to be respected. Too often are men forced into roles where they must behave a certain way, forcing women to also behave in a certain way. Shouldn’t we all be able to behave in the way that suits us? Shouldn’t we just be who we are? Shouldn’t we all believe in equality?
And I leave you with the parting words of her speech, which struck a cord with me the most, and probably will strike a cord with you.
“I am inviting you to step forward, to be seen to speak up, to be the he for she. And to ask yourself if not me, who, if not now when.”
So, I am stepping forward. My name is AnnaBella Davis Grant and I’m a feminist, and damn proud of it.
Watch the full speech here.
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