At the United Nations, Watson gave a very powerful speech as the UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador. She shot down the stereotype that feminism equates to 'man-hating' and was quoted as saying, "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." It successfully called out those who have the double standard between strong women and men. For example, if a man were to hold the same views as Watson in an open forum, more than likely that man would be praised. However, Watson's speech showcased a society who seems to be afraid of strong women.
In addition to dispelling the feminist stereotype, Emma Watson comes to the defense of men who go through mental illness by pointing out their unwillingness to reveal such issues as society as a whole would deem it as them not being 'macho.' It's important to note this as critics of her speech are often those who did not take the time to see the full video. In no way, shape or form does Emma Watson come across as hating on all men. She shows a clear understanding of the problem as a whole. This is best represented in another quote that reads, "I was encouraged not to use the word feminism because people felt that it was alienating and separating and the whole idea of the speech was to include as many people as possible. "But I thought long and hard and ultimately felt that it was just the right thing to do."
As stated before, many of her critics are those who have not seen the video of her speech at the United Nations. Most comments are from people who shame her for supposedly being out of touch with society, telling her to stick to acting and not politics or even calling her ungrateful for her success. These comments among others only serve to show the ignorance of society. Most commentators come from those who are from the right wing in terms of politics. Their hypocrisy is clear as they have praised other women who are as vocal as Watson but share their views instead of being opposed to them.
What I find to be particularly enlightening is the fact that Emma Watson is so young yet has an enormously powerful voice. She is a graduate of Oxford University which shows in how well spoken she is. Her time in the limelight has allowed to meet many different types of people with differing views. This allowed her to formulate her own opinions and understand her personal views better. Since feminism and improving society as a whole is important to her, one can only wonder when her next big speech will be.
Butler, Judith. Gender trouble: feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015.
Hooks, Bell. The will to change: men, masculinity, and love. Atria Books, 2004.
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