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Entertainment February 17, 2017
Right now, when you hear Emma Watson’s name, you mind might go immediately to her role in Beauty and the Beast. However, she’s actually been finding the beauty in a beastly topic – gender inequality – for over two years now. Back in 2014, Emma Watson launched the U.N. HeForShe campaign in New York City. Since then, the movement has garnered the commitments over over 1.2 million people who are taking a stand for gender equality.
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While the movement has earned its fair share of controversies, HeForShe is ultimately one of the best ways to get both men and women involved in feminist issues. Emma Watson, with her “formal invitation” to men during her 2014 speech, established HeForShe as a movement of solidarity that acknowledges the issues of both men and women.
“If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are — we can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is about,” Watson said. “It’s about freedom.”
It’s safe to say the movement has spread like wildfire since its launch, with millions of men and women around the world taking part.
Here are five reasons we love HeForShe.
With the IMPACT 10x10x10 program, HeForShe joined forces with 10 heads of state, 10 CEOS and 10 university presidents in order to find solutions to gender inequality in governments, workplaces and higher education institutions.
In September 2016, HeForShe released it’s IMPACT university plan, which outlines key gender issues in higher education and presents baseline figures against which further progress will be measured.
READ MORE: Emma Watson Advocates for Women’s Right to a Safe and Well Rounded University Experience
The recently released 2016 parity report showed a newfound commitment from all ten universities to close the gender gap in administration and academia, create centers of excellence in gender equality and end violence on campuses.
“Education is one of the most powerful tools for social transformation and is a crucial means to achieve our goal,” states the report’s executive director. “Universities—as both educators and employers—have a critical role to play.”
When Emma Watson launched the HeForShe movement two years ago, she extended a “formal invitation” to all men to join the fight for gender equality. “We don’t often talk about men being imprisoned by gender stereotypes, but I can see that that they are and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural consequence,” she said. “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 not as two opposing sets of ideals.”
This campaign opened the doors to participation for both men and women. Rather than excluding men from the conversation, men are invited to openly participate in honor of their “daughters, sisters and mothers.”
As Elizabeth Nyamayaro, a senior advisor at UN Women told Into The Gloss, “Things actually happen when people come together.”
During the second anniversary of HeForShe, Justin Trudeau was appointed a champion for youth engagement. Known for his gender equality efforts as Prime Minister of Canada, his role with HeForShe promises great improvements in the younger generations.
“Everything we do needs to focus on young people, on building a better world for the long term, and not just in time for the next election cycle,” he said in the video below. “And being focused on young people and their dreams of a better world, keeps us all in government thinking about what really matters.”
Speaking directly to young people, he said, “Everything you do, in your community, in your job, and in your school matters today and you help shape the world around you.”
HeForShe benefits with its large celebrity and political involvement. From actor Tom Hiddleston to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the campaign has had its fair share of famous support.
Shinzo Abe recently spoke in support of increased equality in Japanese board rooms. According to HeForShe, “The Prime Minister also said that the importance of diversity in decision-making would not only strengthen the economy, but also the resilience of society. Because of this, he has asked Japanese companies to have at least one woman on their boards.”
READ MORE: Emma Watson Promotes Women in STEM with “The Circle” (VIDEO)
The HeForShe Twitter account has more than 350,000 followers, which enables the group to spread powerful articles on the subjects of diversity, equality and other gender issues such as stereotyping.
Early last year, HeForShe commemorated International Woman’s Day by launching Arts Week.
“Art makes people think and question, and people change the world. Indeed, for women from Jane Austen to Maya Angelou, art has been one of the most effective ways to make our voices heard,” Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City, said. “Our world works best when everyone has the opportunity to succeed, but we are not there yet—not even close. Too many women don’t feel safe in their own homes and public spaces. Too many women are unheard in our political system, and under-appreciated in the workplace. We must continue using our art as a megaphone.”
As part of Arts Week, Emma Watson stopped interviewed “Hamilton” writer and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda.
After noting that “a lot of women have been erased from history,” Watson joined Miranda for some freestyle rapping about gender equality. “Yo, it’s Lin and I have to laugh,” Miranda raps. “How can we not be equals? We’re like half. Women are half of the people on earth. And yes we should’ve been equals since birth. That means all day, every day, equal pay, every way, okay?”
READ MORE: 4 Reasons Why You Should Still Care About Equal Pay
Emma Watson is showing off her singing chops – though, rap is sadly not included – again in Beauty and the Beast. Just glimpsing at all HeForShe has accomplished in the last few years, though, shows that Emma Watson is used to dealing with beasts…especially in the realm of gender inequality.