Once Upon A Time…
Remembering historical events and
considering their significance for families today
Emma Watson. Most might still think: Hermione Granger, the studious witch-in-training at Hogwarts, the daughter of muggle parents. Yet Emma, the actor—the adult—has more recently established herself as a feminist icon; a woman who has taken center stage in the continued global mission of gender equality.
In September 2014, Watson delivered a speech at the United Nations in New York to launch the “HeForShe” campaign, a solidarity movement started by UN Women with the goal of engaging men and boys to act as change agents for gender inequality.
Watson, named the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, spoke broadly about the perpetual nature of gender stereotypes and gender inequality, and more specifically about the real definition of feminism. That, “…men and women should have equal rights and opportunities…the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.”
Watson’s speech was an invitation to men and boys to embrace the definition, and to stand up for the larger systemic issue of gender inequality along with women.
In the last year or so, there seems to have been a battle for what feminism is; a blurring over what it means to be a feminist. Watson has spoken about this since her 2014 speech, and I believe it’s the perfect time to open the conversation back up. Why shouldn’t men and boys re-engage in understanding what feminism means, and better yet, why not uphold it, as Watson first proposed? If we don’t, feminism may continue to be appropriated by those who are far removed from its true meaning.
I was recently talking to my close friend about which preschool my sons got into. Where I live, preschools are akin to the Ivy Leagues: the waiting lists are long and admission is competitive. I had told my friend that we ended up choosing a different school from the one we originally intended. My friend shrugged it off and said, “What happens at home is all that matters anyway.” My friend is exactly right. And on this topic of gender equality, what we teach at home to our children, will ultimately prevail toward a better future.
For more information visit: http://www.heforshe.org/en
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Photo credit: Los Angeles Times
Asking men to jump on board with feminism while it’s still riddled with misandry is like asking Muslims to ignore his Islamophobia and vote for Donald Trump.
Feminism should put its own house in order first. Then the rest of us will listen.