I am not ashamed to say that I am a fan of Emma Watson, who I first became aware of while taking kids to see the Harry Potter movies, but I have never seen her more impressive than she is here.
See for yourself:
I decided I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me. 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.
Why has the word become such an uncomfortable one?
I am from Britain and I think it is right that I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decisions that will affect my life. I think it is right that socially I am afforded the same respect as men. But sadly I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive these rights.
No country in the world can yet say they have achieved gender equality.
These rights I consider to be human rights, but I am one of the lucky ones. My life is a sheer privilege because my parents didn’t love me less because I was born a daughter. My school did not limit me because I was a girl. My mentors didn’t assume that I would go less far because I might give birth to a child one day. These influencers were the gender equality ambassadors that made who I am today. They may not know it, but they are the inadvertent feminists who are changing the world today. And we need more of those. And if you still hate the word—it is not the word that is important, it's the idea and the ambition behind it. Because not all women have been afforded the same rights that I have. In fact, statistically, very few have been.
Watson is a very good choice to be the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador because she is incredibly poised, incredibly well spoken, and a member of a generation that desperately needs to hear her message.
Yep. Many young women today are like those who don't support unions - why do we need em? We have the 40 hour work week, the 8 hour workday, minimum wage and OSHA? Just as the demise of unions will bring back company towns and worker abuse (yeah, it's already here - thnaks Dave and Charles) young women think, Oh, I have birth control, I don't have to be dead from an attack before someone admits it's rape..etc. WIthout vigilant feminists, women will be barefoot, pregnant and back in the kitchen. Remember, the Handmaiden's Tale is the right wing playbook, not science fiction.
ReplyDeleteRight on. For the Republicans, the Handmaiden's Tale is utopian, not distopian.
DeleteI still remember the very day in 1969 when I vowed that no one was going to tell me I had to be pregnant or had to give birth.
1. The comment section is a nightmare from the website side of things. The main comment button is, I guess, at the bottom and the bottom is pages and pages of slow scrolling that I'm not about to bother with.
Delete2. Emma said what she said: men have to do their best to make WOMEN (already safer than men if you just look at life expectancies across the globe) safer. It's sexism. The best that can be said for Emma after that is that she was simply playing another role for more of the cash that she has way too much of already.
3. That feminists defend HeForShe just shows that feminists are, themselves, deeply sexist. It's not the ONLY reason to think feminism is about sexism against men. It's one more in a long list of reasons.
My comment will be visible after approval? That's a simple way of saying "We can't take criticism b/c we're infants.".
DeleteIn this century, in my workplace. among a group of colleagues, I was asked if I was one of those "femi-nazis". We need more feminists AND we need to SILENCE the drivel that is so eagerly sopped up by males desperate to seek solace in their supposed loss of superiority.
ReplyDeleteMy reply to that question: "no, you first, what kind of nazi are you?"
Good one!!!
DeleteI am so glad you didn't writhe, sleepless, later, wishing you had said that when you hadn't!
Amen. Emma is the opposite of a Palin. Empowerment of individuals is not a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI am 52, and when I was in college, it was somewhat trendy to take Women's Studies- those classes were always packed.
ReplyDeleteThe word feminism was not a bad word back then, and I had Women's Studies professors who loved their husbands, dressed sexily, and those were life lessons.
How sad that now people are back to using femi-nazi and other derogatory terms, and making the assumption that if you are a feminist you must hate men, not shave your legs, and/or be a lesbian.
A wonderful young woman who is providing the exact kind of role modeling that our young woman would do well to emulate.
ReplyDeleteI don't think being totally unprofessional and inappropriate EVER "rocks." Especially not in a thread about Emma Watson's speech.
ReplyDeleteGo Emma! Good for you for using your privilege and fame to speak out for feminism, and being proud of the word and what it means.
ReplyDeleteSo, nobody sees the irony that the only reason Emma Watson has been granted this high society privilege of addressing the UN about feminism, is because of her A-list celebrity fame and fortune status, which she never would have been able to attain had she not been an extremely attractive and poised woman, i.e., the irony is she is there because of her looks.
ReplyDeleteNo. She became famous when she was cast as the somewhat homely, bushy-haired, super-smart and super-annoying character of Hermione Granger. I read that even the producers were surprised when she turned into such a beauty. She's also extremely bright in real life. Besides, what on earth is wrong with being lovely? Are smart, compassionate men discounted because they are also handsome?
Delete9:27 she was a very cute kid. Who said she is not smart or bright or talented, or that there is anything wrong with being lovely? The fact is, she would not have the fame and success she has if she had grown up ugly. That is the other reality of equality, the world is a lot more equal for the good looking women (and men) regardless of competence. And that is the irony (that I see anyways, and find humorous)- even at the UN's discussion on feminism, sex sells.
Deletesome other UN ambassadors:
Charlize Theron
Angelina Jolie
Maria Sharapova
Naomi Watts
Nicole Kidman
etc...
BULLFUCKINGSHIT. I applaud Emma Watson for using her celebrity, and, yes, her attractiveness, to promote feminism! It helps put the lie to the misogynistic and false claim that only ugly women who can't get a man are feminists.
Delete10:32....nice job of cherry-picking the list....I'm pretty sure neither Mia Farrow, Whoopie Goldberg, not Jackie Chan were picked for their incredible good looks. People are picked for many reasons - but having a high media profile is one to help awareness. Passion for human rights is another....
DeleteWhelp, 9:00-that poised young lady has a college dee-gree. And she ain't got bunches of kids and I guarandamntee you she ain't got drunk and punched anyone lately. And she can speak in real sentences!
DeleteThe words: "Work ethic and heart for those less fortunate" come to mind.
DeleteBeth- My comments aren't a putdown on Emma Watson at all. She is (or at least comes across as) smart, accomplished, hard working, beautiful, and as of yet hasn't had a sex tape or flashed her beaver to the world. Seems quite the lovely young lady, as 9:27 said.
DeleteSo why do you bring in the Palins when this post doesn't have anything, a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g, to do with the Palins?? Not everything in this world is Palin related.
But, if you must go there, what were the special attributes that got Palin elected to the Alaska Governors office, and subsequently invited to the VP ticket?
I'm sorry-I do tend to be invested in wanting to see the Palin's downfall while I'm alive. However, I just don't see the irony in her being chosen. As 11:13 said, "High media profile" is one reason people are asked to speak or represent in an "Ambassadorial" position because they will be seen and heard. I'ts important to have spokespeople who are articulate and have a work ethic and heart for those less fortunate and can put a sentence together-because they will be heard. I would say that not having a glass chin is also an important attribute.
DeleteI think the reason she was elected goes something like this : "You can fool all the people some of the time, but you can't fool ALL the people all of the time.
I CAN"T STOP MYSELF!!.
AND OBTW-I did not once mention the Palins in what I posted earlier!
DeleteLet's not forget that Jo Rowling gave us the immortal character of Hermione Granger, "the cleverest girl of her year" at Hogwarts. Jo made smart girls cool and effective... we can't underestimate her impact on millions of young readers, as well as the gratitude that this former four-eyed nerd felt to see a brainy heroine!
ReplyDeleteNow, Sarah, dear, Emma Watson personifies the ideal of a young woman with an excellent work ethic. She's talented, bright and she can speak a vocabulary that is light years beyond that of either of your elder daughters.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom