On September 20, 2014, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson gave an impassioned, empowering speech at the United Nations about the need for men to take up the fight for gender equality. Launched as the HeForShe campaign, Watson called on men to get involved in the fight for gender equality and asked them to commit to speaking out against violence and discrimination faced by women and girls around the world.
Emma Watson Asked Men To Get Involved
As recently reported in Fast Company, Watson attempted to bring to light issues like the fact that more than 95% of Fortune 500 CEOs are men; 40% of the agriculture labor force around the world is made up of women, and less than 20% of women in those areas own land. Violence against women–at home, on campuses, and in the workplace–persists and is routinely ignored.
Women Worldwide Fighting Misogynist Actions
However, much of the context of Watson’s speech was lost in the media frenzy immediately following when she was threatened with nude photo leaks. Although that has since turned out to be a hoax, the experience perfectly illustrated the very problems Watson, and women all over the world, are fighting against. In response to the misogynist actions behind the threats, many male celebrities rallied in response and set the tone for the HeforShe campaign as they publicly declared their support of Watson and her work.
We Need Men To Join The Fight For Gender Equality
Why do we need men to join the fight for gender equality? Despite the fact that fighting for women’s rights has become “synonymous with man-hating,” as Watson put it in her speech, gender equality benefits men as well as women. The simple act of a man’s willingness to acknowledge and understand the gender inequalities that face women is a huge step in getting the ball rolling. Unwillingness to engage in conversation over the issues perpetuates the problem.
For ideas on how you can get the men in your life to come to the table and discuss the issues that affect us all, go to FastCompany.com. And to find out more about the HeForShe campaign, go to HeForShe.org.