She’s the Hermione we all know and love. She’s the amazingly chic woman in the magazines. But, like all women, Emma Watson has passions and dreams that go way beyond how she makes money or what clothes she wears.
Ms. Watson, who six months ago became a United Nations Women’s Goodwill Ambassador, gave her first major speech at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to announce the launch of the HeForShe campaign over the weekend.
Watson’s speech tackles two important topics: what it means to be a feminist and her conviction that gender equality is an issue that both men and women deal with in today’s society.
Emma, who graduated from Brown University in May 2014, begins her emotional speech with a conversation about the negative connotation that the word “feminism” has in today’s society. Now synonymous with “man-hating,” feminism has diverged from its original message, which Watson says she supports: gender equality. The Merriam-Webster definition of feminism, which she also reiterates in her speech is, “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.”
She continues to say that being a feminist does not mean that she is anti-male or a man-hater. Male participation in the gender equality movement is crucial to Watson, as she thinks without it you’re only inviting “half of the population to the conversation.”
Emma Watson proceeds to discuss that gender equality affects men as well – and that they are in need of equality too. What society values as “manly” and what constitutes being a “true man” leaves males crippled and unable to express their full range of emotions and therefore their truest selves. Although gender equality does focus heavily on female stereotypes, Watson draws our attention to the fact that, though we don’t often talk about gender equality for men, the stereotypes that dictate male behavior is just as destructive.
By calling us to action and drawing attention to He For She, Emma is working towards freeing both men and women from gender stereotypes, which will in turn work towards equal rights for women.
On the He For She website, the campaign is described as “a solidarity movement for gender equality.” By utilizing social media, especially Twitter and Instagram, the public is encouraged to use the hashtag #HeForShe to spark conversation about this topic which it describes as “not only a women’s issue, [but] it is a human rights issue that requires participation.” The website also provides a platform to share the movement and spread the word on your Facebook, Twitter, and email, asking you to also share with the men in your life.
So, in our book, Emma is not just “that Harry Potter girl” as she put it at the end of her speech. Having such an eloquent, well-educated, and passionate person promoting this important and relevant cause is exactly what we need to get people to think positively about feminism. Her speech has already gone viral, and you’ve probably seen it more than once while scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed.
At only 24, Emma has started a global conversation about an issue that effects both men and women, and, hopefully, will spark change socially, politically, and economically. We encourage you to watch her full speech below to find out what we’re talking about for yourself.