This month's Elle magazine is entitled the 'Feminism Issue' with hot woman of the moment Emma Watson being the cover star. I'm a massive, crazy feminist so had to doll out the £4 for Elle, even though I don't usually buy beauty/fashion magazines.
I should start by saying that I am a huge fan of Emma Watson. She's around my age and when she played Hermione is Harry Potter she sent out an important message to my younger self. That you can be smart, and beautiful and sassy and be friends with boys and still be OK. This was something I could relate to and what made me love Harry Potter in the very first instances as an unsure 10-year-old.
I should start by saying that I am a huge fan of Emma Watson. She's around my age and when she played Hermione is Harry Potter she sent out an important message to my younger self. That you can be smart, and beautiful and sassy and be friends with boys and still be OK. This was something I could relate to and what made me love Harry Potter in the very first instances as an unsure 10-year-old.
When the films came to an end, it was a big moment for me - like thousands of my generation - I'd grown up with Harry Potter and judged the year by the quality of the latest release. However, another part of my worried that they would be like so many child stars before them and end up on drugs or self-righteous nobheads. Luckily, nothing like that has happened so far and when the UN picked Emma to be the Goodwill Ambassador I thought it was an absolutely perfect choice.
In the article, she talks about her own experiences of sexism as she was growing up and it struck a chord with me. Like her, I was lucky enough to feel as though my opinion was always as valid and important as that of my brothers and have been surrounded by strong, independent women all my life. My mum chose to change her career when she had kids so that she could be around more, but that never changed the attitude she had and the fact that she clearly ran the house. And my dad, my dad was the best you could have asked for. He always encouraged me and nurtured me to be more than I thought possible. He spurred me on to climb trees higher than my brother and even got yelled at when we visited a go-kart track because he was urging me to beat my brother.
Growing up, I never even knew that this was something to be grateful for. I argued with whoever I liked, with no regard as to whether they were male or female, and less of a regard for whether I should be speaking to someone of the opposite gender in the way. I defended my brother and male friends and never understood why this would be mocked. In fact, it wasn't until I was much older that I began to see it and even understand a little.
In the article, she talks about her own experiences of sexism as she was growing up and it struck a chord with me. Like her, I was lucky enough to feel as though my opinion was always as valid and important as that of my brothers and have been surrounded by strong, independent women all my life. My mum chose to change her career when she had kids so that she could be around more, but that never changed the attitude she had and the fact that she clearly ran the house. And my dad, my dad was the best you could have asked for. He always encouraged me and nurtured me to be more than I thought possible. He spurred me on to climb trees higher than my brother and even got yelled at when we visited a go-kart track because he was urging me to beat my brother.
Growing up, I never even knew that this was something to be grateful for. I argued with whoever I liked, with no regard as to whether they were male or female, and less of a regard for whether I should be speaking to someone of the opposite gender in the way. I defended my brother and male friends and never understood why this would be mocked. In fact, it wasn't until I was much older that I began to see it and even understand a little.
When I was growing up, I would never have called myself a feminist as I associated it with man-hating and favouring one sex over the other, which I could never get my head around. But this new wave of feminism, now gathering pace from Emma Watson, is taking it back to its true roots and making it something I want to be part of and support completely. Just like to be part of the Civil Rights movement, you didn't need to be black or of the ethnic minority to believe in equals rights for all races, you don't need to be a woman to support equal rights between the genders.
This is what Emma Watson's HeforShe campaign is promoting. For men all around the world to show their support for feminism. One of the first people I ever saw wearing the 'this is what a feminist looks like' was one of my favourite comedians Bill Bailey, but since then thousands of men have been showing their support for the campaign, including my favourite Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston.
This is what Emma Watson's HeforShe campaign is promoting. For men all around the world to show their support for feminism. One of the first people I ever saw wearing the 'this is what a feminist looks like' was one of my favourite comedians Bill Bailey, but since then thousands of men have been showing their support for the campaign, including my favourite Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston.
There was also a little sneaky interview with the recently engaged Mr Cumberbatch. I love the fact that he wants to spend his life with a smart, incredibly talented and beautiful woman. I mean, if it couldn't be me, I'm glad it's someone like her.
I love this issue of Elle Magazine and will surely be putting it on my coffee table for months to come.
I love this issue of Elle Magazine and will surely be putting it on my coffee table for months to come.