Despite all of her work in advocacy for gender equality, many people are calling Emma Watson a hypocrite over a recent photo shoot.
The 26-year-old actress is well known as a fierce feminist activist who has made major achievements in her work. She is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women and launched the HeForShe campaign, which encourages men to advocate for gender equality. She adamantly speaks out against inequality issues and has personally addressed the UN on topics pertaining to feminism.
On top of her activism, Emma is an incredibly talented actress who has won tons of awards for her performances. She is best known for her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies. Hermione is an inspiring character for young girls, showing them that they shouldn’t be afraid of being smart and standing up for yourself and others, despite what anyone else thinks.
Emma also plays Belle in the upcoming live adaption of Beauty and the Beast, in which she says she will be portraying Belle as a feminist Disney Princess. Consider the Belle is already a strong, smart woman who is unafraid of being herself, just like Hermione. It is likely that Emma will be creating another amazing role model for girls.
Emma Watson is an intelligent, outspoken young woman who is a powerful feminist and role model for girls. Right?
In a recent photoshoot, Emma posed topless with a cape draped over her shoulders, exposing her underboob. The picture, which was published in Vanity Fair, has received criticism on social media from those claiming that Emma is a “hypocrite” for being in the shot.
Their argument is that feminism is against naked photos of women, as it objectifies them and over-sexualizes their bodies. As a feminist, Emma is contradicting her own beliefs by posing for a racy photo and exposing herself.
But this argument is ignoring another central belief of feminism: that women should be allowed to do whatever they want with their bodies. Women can express themselves in whatever way that empowers them and do whatever they want with their own bodies. For some, this is being sexually open and wearing clothes that are considered “provocative.” For others, it is being covered up and saving their sexuality exclusively for their partner. The choice is the woman’s and her's alone, and she should not be shamed for her choice. Her body is her body, not the world’s to criticize.
Furthermore, Emma exposing her breasts in a photo shoot is not inherently sexual. A woman’s naked body is natural, but our society has sexualized it to the point where even a low cut shirt or short dress could be deemed “inappropriate.” People are conditioned into thinking that breasts are too sexual, but that is because we have been ingrained into objectifying women without realizing it.
There is a big difference between a woman being sexually objectified, and a woman showcasing her sexuality as a subject. The difference is viewing a woman as a whole person. It is about a woman playing an active role in her sexuality, as opposed to her body being used in a sexual way by someone else.
Furthermore, there have been countless men who have posed topless or in their underwear, and nobody questions whether or not their work is still valid. This just reiterates the point that women’s bodies are considered inherently sexual, and that their worth is defined by their sexuality. If she dresses in revealing clothes and sleeps around, she’s a slut and her opinions are not taken as seriously. Only if she completely dissociates herself from sexuality is she allowed to have serious opinions.
Emma Watson is not a hypocrite for one photo shoot, and it does not detract from all of her feminist incredible work; a woman should be allowed to be sexy and still be taken seriously.
