One Inspiring Woman

Emma Watson

Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson was born on April 15, 1990 in Paris, France. She is a British actress, model and avid activist. She is known for appearing in all eight Harry Potter films from 2001 to 2011. During the year of 2014, Emma was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls for men to advocate gender equality.

Emma has promoted education for girls, visiting both Bangladesh and Zambia. As the appointed UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma gave a speech in September of 2014 at the UN Headquarters in New York City. During this speech began by questioning gender-based assumptions at age eight when she was called "bossy" in regards to her being a "perfectionist." She then went on to talk about how when she was fourteen she was being "sexualized by certain aspects of the media." It is absolutely astounding that a female at such a young age would be sexualized. I mean aren't we still kids then?

Emma called feminism "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities" and declared that "man-hating", both the activity and perception, is something that "has to stop." After giving this speech, she was receiving threats within 12 hours! But why? People were upset and refused to even watch anything Emma was ever seen in again. In my opinion, that is just outright ridiculous.

After she made her UN speech, Emma visited Uruguay where she gave another speech highlighting the need for women's political participation. Later that year in December, the Ms. Foundation for Women named Emma its Feminist Celebrity of 2014. She then went on to give a speech about gender equality in January of 2015 at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting.

Emma took the top spot on the AskMen "Top 99 Outstanding Women 2015." After that she took number 26 on the TIME 100 list of the world's most influential people. She started a feminist Goodreads book club: Our Shared Shelf in order to share feminist ideas and encourage discussion on the topic.

Emma was seen in Vanity Fair in a photograph where her breasts were partly visible. She was accused of hypocrisy but clapbacked to the media by saying "feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women, instead it is freedom, liberation, and equality."

Personally, Emma Watson is someone I look up to. A few other activists also follow her views, Malala Yousafzai told Emma that she was the reason she became an activist. She never backs down in the media and always stays true to what she believes in. I aspire to be like her and I agree with everything she says regarding the feminist movement. All of her achievements explain just how she is a bad ass woman.

ASSIGNMENT:

I think one of the most interesting parts of Emma Watson's speech was when she pointed out the times where she has felt oppressed in society. I definitely have by my family, friends, boyfriends and especially society through social media.

So have you ever felt oppressed by anyone in your life or by society? You can share specific times if you would like.

If you have, have you felt ever said something to that person or expressed your views to society in some type of way?

Do you feel like we, as females, should all speak up more when we hear or see something? Maybe even when someone says it to our friends, family members, loved ones, even a stranger on the street?