Emma Watson delivered a speech to the United Nations regarding a new campaign, HeForShe, which aims to get men involved to help stop violence against women, as well as the importance of everyone's involvement in equal rights campaigns.
The Washington Post reports Watson spoke before the U.N. on Sept. 20 as a Goodwill Ambassador. The “Harry Potter” actress, who recently graduated from Brown University, asked the U.N. how women could effect change if men weren’t involved in the feminism movement as well.
“How can we effect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?” Watson said. “Men - I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue too.”
Watson added feminism has been associated with the belief women should hate men, which isn’t the case. She wanted to reiterate feminism is about men and women having equal rights.
“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,” Watson said.
“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.”
Watson went on to argue how men do not have “equal rights” as well. The actress claimed society should acknowledge the damaging effects of gender stereotypes on men.
“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 U.K., suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20 to 24, eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease,” Watson said. “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.”
Watch Watson’s full speech at the United Nations below.
