After a standing ovation for Emma Watson’s HeForShe speech at the United Nations, many misogynists did not fail to send out threats to the ambassador. However, they did not fail to create an uproar over the controversy.
Many feminists began to rally behind Watson as sites like 4Chan threatened to release the actress’s private pictures to the general public. Many who disagree with her took to using the word feminist, and other demeaning names to put down Watson and call her cause useless and irrelevant. However, they were not aware of how they how much fuel they were adding to the fire.
“So go ahead and add this response to Watson’s argument for why we need feminism,” wrote Maya Dusenbury, executive director of Feministing. “Misogynists do have a tendency of proving your point for you – they can be helpful like that.”
Using Watson’s body against her as a social media weapon goes to show what the hackers value. There isn’t a threat to sabotage her next movie or social appearance. They try to use her body as a way of making money. When was the last time someone threatened a male actor’s career with his personal photos?
Unfortunately for the women hating misogynists, more celebrities are beginning to endorse Watson’s ideas, including influential figures like Taylor Swift.
“I wish when I was 12 years old I would’ve been able to watch a video of my favorite actress explaining in such an intellectual, beautiful, poignant way the definition of feminism because I would’ve understood it, and then earlier on in my life I would have proudly claimed that I was a feminist because I would have understood what the word means,” Swift said.
In addition to the women supporting Watson, many male celebrities are beginning to rally behind the cause. Celebrities like Harry Styles, Logan Lerman, Tom Hiddleston, Russell Crowe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have tweeted selfies with the hashtag “#heforshe” showing their support for the feminist cause.
Feminism isn’t a fight to put women on the leaderboard above men. All women are asking for is the same respect and rewards that men get when the same job is done just as well. It is time to eliminate the image of fragile, incompetent women and show that they are just as capable as men.
Hopefully, many will come around to realize how silly the standards are for men and women. Making girls play with barbies instead of going outside? Forcing boys to play for their little league baseball team instead of taking guitar lessons?
So what if a guy isn’t good at sports but can ace any calculus test thrown his way? So what if a girl isn’t into shopping but can recognize a blitz from the defense before it even happens? It’s time that the gender barriers are completely broken down, because some are being taken to the extreme.
Watson’s cause is showing the world that feminism isn’t the man hating group that many have made it out to be. It is a genuine rally for the equal treatment of all sexes, not the empowerment of women over men. This isn’t a contest to prove one gender is better than the other. It is a cause devoted to eliminating the unfair standards placed on men and women, not overthrowing the man.