Emma I was appointed as goodwill ambaador for UN women six months ago.The more I was talking about feminism , the more I have realized that fighting for women’s right has become synonymous with man-hating.If there is one thing I think for certain, that is, it has to stop.For the record, feminism by definition, is the belief that men and women should have equeal rights and opportunities.It’s the theory of political, economical and social quality of the sexes.I started questioning gender-based quality a long time ago.When I was eight, I was confused being called “boy” because I was to direct the play that was put on for our parents.But the boys were not.When I was fourteen, I was sectionalized as the element of the public media.When I was fourty, my girl friends started to drop out of the sport teams, because they didn’t want to apprear “musly”.When I was 18, my male friend were unable to expre their feelings.I decided that I was a feminist.This is not a problem for me.But some of the research show that feminism is not a popular word.Women are not choosing to identified as feminist.Apparently, I’m among the rank of women whose expreions are seen as too strong, too aggreive, too isolating,and anti-men unattractive,even.Why has the word become such an uncomfortable one? I’m from britain.And I think it is right that I am paid the same as my male counterpart.I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions for my own body.And I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the politics and decisions that will affect of my life.I think it is right that socially I’m afforded respect as men.But sadly, I can say, there is no one country in this world that women can expect to receive these right.No country in the world that can yet say that they have achieved gender equality.These rights, I consider the basic human rights, but I’m the lucky one.My life is a sheer privilege, because my parents never love me le because I was born a daughter, my school never limits me because I was a girl , and my mentors didn’t aume that I would go le far because I might give birth to a child one day.These influences were the gender equality ambaadors that made me who I am today.They may not know it, but they are the inadvertent feminists who were changing the world today.We need more of those.But if you still hate the word, it is not the word that is important, it is the idea and ambition behind it.Because not all the women have received the rights that I have.In fact, statistically, very few of they have.In 1997, Hillary Clinton made a speech in Beijing about women’s right, sadly, many of the things she wanted to change are still true today.But what strikes me most is that only thirty percent of audance are male, how can we succeed when only half of is invited or feel welcomed to participate in the conversation.Men, I would like to take the opportunity to extend your formal invitation.Gender equality is also your iue.Because to date, I’ve seen my father’s role being a parent is le estimated by the society despite my needing as a child for his presence is as much as my mother’s .I’ve seen that young men,suffering of mental illne but unable to ask for help for fear that it would make them le of man or le of macho.In fact , in the UK, suiside is the biggest killer of man between 20 to 49, eclipsing road accident, cancer and conary heart disearse.I’ve seen men are fragile and unsecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male succe .Men don’t have the benefits of equality either.We don’t often talk about men being imprisoned by gender steretypes.But I can see that they are.If men are free, then things will change for women as a natual consequence.If men don’t have to be aggreive to be accepted , women won’t feel conpelled to be submiive.If men don’t have to control, women don’t have to be controlled.Both men and women should feel to be sensitive, both men and women should feel to be strong.It is time that all we perceive gender on the spectrum instead of two sets of appraising ideals.If we stop defing each other by what we are not, and start to define ourselves by who we are, we can be more freer.And this is what HeForShe is about.It’s about freedom.I want man to take up this mentle so that their daughers, sisters and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so that their sons have permiion to be vulnerable as human too.Reclaim those part of themselves being abandoned.And in doing so, be a more true and complete version of themselves.You might be thinking who is the Harry Poter girl and what is she doing and speaking in the UN.And this is really a good question and I’ve been asking the same question.all I know is I care about this problem.And I want to make it better .I have seen what I’ve seen and given the chance.I feel it is my responsibility to say thing.Statesman Edmund Burke said: “all that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing”.In my nerverne of the speech, in my moments of doubt, I told myself, “if not me, then who? If not now, then when?’ If you also have the doubt of the opportunity, I hope that will help you.But the fact is, if we don’t start, if will take 75 years, or for me, more than 100 years before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work.15.5 million girls will be married in the next 16 years as chilren.And at the current rate, it won’t be until 2086 before all rural African girls can have the secondary education.If you believe in equality, you might be one of those inadvertent feminists that I spoke of earlier.And for this, I applaud you.We are struggling for a uniting world.But the good news is that we have a uniting movement.It’s called ‘HeForShe’.I’m inviting you to step forward, to be seen, and to ask youself,”if not me, who? If not now, when”.
Thank you very much.
