For years, Watson has been making us stand up and cheer as she fights the good fight. And even though she knows that we have a long way to go in our fight for gender equality, she also is open to celebrating our victories — as evidenced by her speech at the 2017 MTV Awards.
“Firstly, I feel I have to say something about the award itself,” she began as she accepted the award for Best Actor. “The first acting award in history that doesn’t separate nominees based on their sex says something about how we perceive the human experience… MTV’s move to create a genderless award for acting will mean something different to everyone, but to me, it indicates that acting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes ? and that doesn’t need to be separated into two different categories. Empathy and the ability to use your imagination should have no limits.”
Here, here.
Watson pretty much can do no wrong in our eyes. Here are some of her other very wise words.
Originally published April 2016. Updated August 2017.
Feminism does not mean anti-men
“The more I spoke about feminism, the more I 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.”
Never dumb yourself down
“The saddest thing for a girl to do is to dumb herself down for a guy.”
Men are human, too
“I want men to take up this mantle so that 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.”
Men and women should be equals
“For the record, feminism, by definition, is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes.”
Love is a special thing
“I’m a feminist, but I think that romance has been taken away a bit for my generation. I think that what people connect with in novels is this idea of an overpowering, encompassing love — and it being more important and special than anything and everything else.”
Be who you want to be
“I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to be who I really am. I’m going to figure out what that is.”
Women should be treated equally
“I think it is right 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.”
It’s OK to make mistakes
“I’ve probably earned the right to screw up a few times. I don’t want the fear of failure to stop me from doing what I really care about.”
We don’t have to be perfect
“I don’t have perfect teeth. I’m not stick-thin. I want to be the person who feels great in her body and can say that she loves it and doesn’t want to change anything.”
Women should not be controlled
“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.”
Make your own decisions
“I don’t want other people to decide who I am. I want to decide that for myself.”
Emotions should not be assigned a gender
“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, instead of two sets of opposing ideals.”
Forget Photoshop — embrace yourself
“As a younger woman, that pressure got me down, but I’ve made my peace with it. With airbrushing and digital manipulation, fashion can project an unobtainable image that’s dangerously unhealthy. I’m excited about the aging process. I’m more interested in women who aren’t perfect. They’re more compelling.”
Be comfortable with who you are
“I think the actresses who are really successful are the ones who are comfortable in their own skins and still look human.”
Gender equality
“Men, I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too.”
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