Happy Birthday Emma Watson! Twenty-six years ago today the lovely Harry Potter actress and feminist advocate was born. To celebrate, we’re looking at some of her amazing accomplishments so far.
Emma Watson in Harry Potter
We first met Emma Watson when she played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise. Only eleven years old when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone was released, we got to see Emma mature into an incredible young woman before our eyes.
Emma Watson’s HeForShe Campaign
Emma Watson has also always been a loud voice in the fight for gender equality. She was named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in the summer of 2014. On September 20, 2014, the HeForShe Campaign, a gender equality campaign focused on getting men involved in the fight for equal rights for women, was launched with a speech delivered by Emma Watson. On International Women’s Day in 2015, she hosted a livestream on Facebook to address many of the questions surrounding gender inequality and feminism in general.
Earlier this year, Emma announced that she will be taking a break from acting in order to devote all of her attention to feminism. She plans on continuing her efforts with the UN. Watson also started a feminist bookclub, called Our Shared Shelf, to encourage everyone around the world to get more involved in feminism. Feminism has also allowed Watson to become more comfortable with herself. She says:
“Engaging with feminism, there is this kind of bubble now that goes off in my head where these really negative thoughts about myself hit where I’m able to combat them in a very rational and quick way. I can see it now in a way that’s different. I guess if I could give women anything through feminism — or you’re asking about power — it would just be, to be able to move away, to move through all of that.”
Emma Watson is a beautiful human who continues to inspire us every day. Happy Birthday, and keep up the amazing work!
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