Emma Watson is best known from her part as Hermoine Granger in the "Harry Potter" series of films. Hermoine has been and continues to be an inspiring, timeless role model for young girls because she is unashamed of being smart and standing up for herself and others. Emma is also starring in the new "Beauty and the Beast" live-action film. She plays Belle, who is already known for her strength, compassion and love for learning. She sticks by her real-life values by portraying them through the characters she plays. Regarding her part for Belle, she says “I couldn't care less if I won an Oscar or not if the movie didn’t say something that I felt was important for people to hear.”
Emma has been accused of being a hypocrite after a recent Vanity Fair photo shoot following the hype of the new film. Call it a “topless photo” if you will, but technically she has a top on. Yet, despite all of her hard work towards gender equality and her advocacy for feminism, the single photo out of many in this magazine issue has caused a huge amount of controversy.
The raging social media critics argue that feminism is against nude photos of women because it sexualizes and objectifies their bodies. In turn, Emma is considered a hypocrite for exposing herself and contradicting her beliefs. I don’t see how under-boob is different than the top part of the breast which everyone is used to seeing.
Personally, I believe the photo that caused such a stir represents her strength and empowerment as a leading woman. It also proves Emma to be more of a feminist. Unfortunately, the term “feminist” has become synonymous with female superiority and hatred for men. But that’s not it at all. Feminism strives for equality—women, men, whatever the gender.
Hey, check out this topless male and not-topless Emma Watson in the same photo shoot release. Interesting.
The almost 27-year-old is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women and launched the HeforShe campaign, which speaks out against inequality. In this instance, she aspires for women to be respected as equal, knowing that it’s not just a women’s issue. This is a human rights issue.
The arguments over the photo seem to disregard an important element of feminism: women should be able to express themselves and their bodies in any way that they want. Women have choices, whether they are conservative or open with their natural bodies. Emma shows us exactly that.
Emma’s breast exposure is empowering, not inappropriate. She shouldn’t be shamed for having breasts. Yes, she has them—so what? She’s allowed to show them if she wants to and she did it with class. So many men have posed for magazine photoshoots in just their underwear and no one ever questions the validity of their work. Her work and every movement she stands for should not be deemed as less just because she showed some skin.
A woman can be feminine, sexy AND serious. Society needs to stop bashing women’s success and professional work and just listen to them for once. The world needed to see Emma Watson’s photo. She is doing everything right in representing gender equality.
