“How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation? Men, I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too.”
These were the words that Emma Watson, of Harry Potter Fame, posed to her enthralled audience in her address to the United Nations. Watson, 24, approached the subject of feminism while launching HeForShe, described as “A Solidarity Movement for Gender Equality.” This campaign encourages men to take up arms and join the conversation about feminism. In doing this, Watson also addressed issues of male equality and skewed gender stereotypes, which seem to “imprison” men as much as women. Watson believes that we must overcome the gendered stereotype that devalues the role of fathers as parents and prevents males from asking for help for fear of being “less of a man.” Watson said that if we can move past this, we could start to see change for all genders, because “it’s time we all perceive gender on a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals.”
Watson also took a moment to discuss the reputation that feminism has acquired in the past few years, saying, “Fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with ‘man hating’. This has to stop.” She cited that it will take 75+ years before women can expect equal pay (for the same work as men), yet many women today don’t identify as feminists because of the unpopularity of the word and the negative connotations tied to it. To this, Watson said, “If you still hate the word, it is not the word that is important. It is the idea and the ambition behind it.”
Since its launch in mid-September, the campaign has gained a slew of male celebrity backers, from Neil Gaiman to Tom Hiddleston to Prince Harry. Taylor Swift gushed over Watson’s speech during a recent interview with Tout Le Monde en Parle, saying she wished she had been able to hear her favorite actress discuss feminism when she was a young girl as eloquently as Watson, and that she would have proudly identified as a feminist much earlier in life. Recently, Iceland announced a unique UN conference for men and boys to discuss gender equality, which could include somewhere around 10,000 men.
Watson’s speech, available via YouTube, lasts little over 13 minutes long, but the effect and power of her words is substantial, and the message delivered increasingly important.