Speaking at the United Nations headquarters this past weekend, actress Emma Watson delivered a moving speech on the importance of gender equality, explaining why feminism is a crucial issue for everyone, not just the ladies.
“The more I’ve spoken about feminism, the more I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating,” Watson said. “If there’s one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop. For the record, feminism by definition is the belief that men and women have equal rights and opportunities.”
The 24-year-old Watson, who was appointed a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador six months ago, was speaking on behalf of the “HeForShe” campaign, which urges both men and boys to join the fight for women’s rights.
In the deeply personal speech, Watson revealed she began questioning gender-based assumptions early on in her life, most notably after she began being sexualized by the media at the age of 14 and watching girlfriends quit sports because they didn’t want to appear “bulky.”
Watch the inspiring speech above.
