Emma Watson

feminismoriginal work These days our world often has difficulty understanding the phrase “I’m a feminist.” Feminism is often misconstrued to be man-hating, when it is in fact the belief that men and women should be equal, meaning equal wages, and equal opportunities. Emma Watson is working to change society’s misunderstood definition of feminism and bring more people into the fight for equality. Watson is best known for her roles in the world-wide phenomenon series Harry Potter, in which she played Hermione Granger, a spunky, determined and intelligent young witch. She also more recently portrayed Belle in Disney’s live action remake of Beauty and the Beast. Watson is much more than just an actress, she is also an advocate for women’s rights across the globe. Since she became a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014, Watson has created the campaign HeForShe, a global solidarity movement for gender equality. Emma Watson’s dedication to changing the interpretation and meaning of feminism across the globe and her drive for gathering more and more people to support the wave of change she is leading is what makes her a hero.

Emma Watson at UN Women's HeForShe Campaign eventUN Women/Simon Luethi [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr.comEmma Watson tackles the myths and misconceptions of feminism head on. She makes clear the importance of women’s rights and how they affect us all. Watson wants to change the misunderstood view that feminism is just the favor of women over men. “This isn't just girls are better than boys, boys are better than girls. This is just everyone deserves a fair chance,” Watson said in an interview with EW. This misinterpretation of the word feminism to be man-hating is especially prominent among males. Watson’s HeForShe campaign is working to bring the understanding in society by inviting men and boys to become advocates for change. She brings to light that the patriarchal standards affect men in a negative way as well. In her speech at an event for the HeForShe campaign, she highlights things such as men being unable to express their feelings, young men suffering from mental health and unable to ask for help fearing being less “macho,” and an example from her own life, as she’s seen her father’s role as a parent being valued less by society. “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,” Watson also said in her speech.

HeForShe campaign logooriginal workGetting more people, men and women alike, to become involved in feminism and speak out, is a passion of Emma Watson's. Particularly encouraging men to get involved in the conversation. She knows that the movement wouldn't get as far without more support, and she wants men to join the effort in increasing women’s rights and the elimination of stereotypes. Watson acknowledges that although we want men to be involved in the conversation, they often aren't invited to participate. In her UN speech she asks the question, “How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited of feel welcome to participate in the conversation?” She shows men and women that the issues of feminism aren't secular and that they affect both/all genders. This inspires other people to join the women’s rights movement. Watson is often seen travelling abroad to countries like Malawi to bring a spotlight on the need to end child marriage there. Watson with UN Women and its partners worked to raise awareness on the issue of child marriage in a country where one in every two girls was married before the age of 12 (UN population fund 2012). In 2015 thanks to their lobbying for legislative change and raising of awareness, Malawi’s Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act was passed, and with it the raising of the minimum age of marriage without parental consent to 18.

Emma Watson’s passion and persistence in tearing down stereotypes, redefining feminism and expanding women’s rights and using her platform that she’s been given makes her an inspiration to all. She’s made heavily impactful efforts to bring attention to gender equality in the world, leading to many people getting involved in the fight for equality. By showing that feminism is not only about women, but men as well, Watson has become an inspiration to those impacted by gender inequality and those fighting to fix it. She encourages us to stand up for what we believe in and what we are passionate about, and to disregard any stereotypes that may arise with it. With her efforts, people are equating feminism less with man-hating and more with gender equality for all. Because of these reasons and many more, that is what makes Emma Watson a hero.