Emma Watson Un Speech

Emma Watson has changed the conversation about feminism during her recent UN speech to launch the HeForShe campaign. Through her words, she opened the door to a new way of thinking with

, which affects both men and women within our society. She strongly encouraged men to get involved to help enact this change, as we must strive to create a community that equally values every man and woman within it.

If anyone is being stereotyped by society’s expectations of being a man or woman, then gender inequality is an issue. If anyone is being paid less for a job that another gender is paid more for, then gender inequality is an issue. If anyone is being pressured into being something they are not, then gender inequality is an issue. When any type of discrimination occurs because of gender, then gender inequality is an issue. The reason why gender inequality remains to be an important conversation is that it is a human rights issue that is currently affecting everyone throughout the world.

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“We must try to mobilize as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for change. We don’t just want to talk about it.”

“Fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain is that this has to stop.”

“Feminism has become an unpopular word. Women are choosing not to identify as feminists. Apparently, [women’s expression is] seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, and anti-men, unattractive even. Why has the word become such an uncomfortable one?”

Emma Watson Delivers Passionate Un Speech On Gender Equality

“Men, I would like to give this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too. Because to date, I’ve seen my father’s role as a parent being valued less by society. I’ve seen young men suffering from mental illness, unable to ask for help for fear it would make them less of a man. In fact, in the UK, suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20 to 49, eclipsing road accidents, cancer and heart disease. I’ve seen men fragile and insecure by what constitutes male success. Men don’t have the benefits of equality, either.”

“Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals.”

I believe Emma identified a key question, “Why has the word [feminism] become such an uncomfortable one?” In a recent #ConsciousConvo about women’s rights regarding the glass ceiling, I could not help but notice the lack of male response during this online conversation. Men should not shy away from this topic, but rather, they should approach it with a willingness to bring equality. As mentioned within her speech, gender inequality does indeed affect everyone, so everyone should be concerned and seeking to enact change.

Emma Watson's He For She Un Speech On Gender Inequality |

During her speech, Emma also quoted Statesman Edmund Burke, who said, “All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing.” It is an unfortunate truth, but as mentioned in this quote, apathy can keep our society from making real change. She closed with, “If not me, then who? If not now, then when?”

Advisor, Publisher, and Contributor. Jon Lechliter was born in Kansas, but raised in Florida, California, and Singapore because his parents are faith-supported missionaries. He graduated from The King’s College in New York City. He oversees supporter outreach, technology, publishing, and more. He is passionate about many causes from health awareness to humanitarian work.Speech by UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson at a special event for the HeForShe campaign, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 20 September 2014

I am reaching out to you because I need your help.We want to end gender inequality—and to do that we need everyone to be involved.

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This is the first campaign of its kind at the UN: we want to try and galvanize as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for gender equality. And we don’t just want to talk about it, but make sure it is tangible.

I was appointed six months ago and the more I have spoken about feminism the more I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.

For the record, feminism by definition is: “The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.”

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I started questioning gender-based assumptions when at eight I was confused at being called “bossy, ” because I wanted to direct the plays we would put on for our parents—but the boys were not.

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.

I am from Britain and think it is right that as a woman 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 decision-making of my country. 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.

Emma Watson's Un Speech

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 I would go less far because I might give birth to a child one day. These influencers were the gender equality ambassadors that made me 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 but 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.

In 1995, Hilary Clinton made a famous speech in Beijing about women’s rights. Sadly many of the things she wanted to change are still a reality today.

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But what stood out for me the most was that only 30 per cent of her audience were male. How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?

Because to date, I’ve seen my father’s role as a parent being valued less by society despite my needing his presence as a child as much as my mother’s.

I’ve seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less “macho”—in fact in the UK suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20-49 years of age; eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease. I’ve seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don’t have the benefits of equality either.

Emma Watson Fights For Gender Equality With Powerful Un Speech

We don’t often talk about men being imprisoned by gender stereotypes but I can see that that they are and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural consequence.

If men don’t have to be aggressive in order to be accepted women won’t feel compelled to be submissive. If men don’t have to control, women won’t have to be controlled.

Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong… It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum not as two opposing sets of ideals.

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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.

I want men to take up this mantle. So their daughters, sisters and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so that their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human too—reclaim those parts of themselves they abandoned and in doing so be a more true and complete version of themselves.

You might be thinking who is this Harry Potter girl? And what is she doing up on stage at the UN. It’s a good question and trust me, I have been asking myself the same thing. I don’t know if I am qualified to be here. All I know is that I care about this problem. And I want to make it better.

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And having seen what I’ve seen—and given the chance—I feel it is my duty to say something. English Statesman Edmund Burke said: “All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good men and women to do nothing.”

In my nervousness for this speech and in my