"Feminism is not man-hating".

[Celista]

Watch the video starring Emma Watson in the link, it is pretty powerful.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/22/showbi...html?hpt=hp_c2

Actress Emma Watson not only stirred the Internet with her recent moving speech before the United Nations, but she also joined a cadre of celebrities who have used their star power to bring attention to gender issues.

Watson, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" films, spoke Saturday as part of the launch of a new HeForShe campaign, which is aimed at getting men involved in stopping violence against women. (HeForShe is a U.N. initiative for gender equality.) The actress was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for U.N. Women six months ago and advocated for everyone to be involved in the movement.

"How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?" Watson said. "Men -- I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too."

Watson is just one of several celebrities who have spoken out in an effort to protect women.

Actress Charlize Theron has been a U.N. ambassador of peace and recorded public service announcements for the Stop Rape Now program as part of the U.N. Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Through her association with the beauty company Avon (where she has been an honorary chair of the Avon Foundation), Reese Witherspoon has taken on the issue of domestic violence. In 2009 Witherspoon visited the House of Commons in the United Kingdom in support of the Four Ways to Speak Out program.

"You're not alone, and if you reach out, there's someone next door to you in your life who is ready to give you support and care and love, and it's important to know that," the actress said at the time.

And female celebrities are not the only stars who have taken up the cause.

In 2010, country singer Tim McGraw was awarded a True Ally Award at the 2010 Men Stopping Violence annual awards for his work to reduce domestic violence, which has included efforts with his wife, singer Faith Hill, to raise funds for battered women's shelters.

"I am a product of domestic violence," McGraw reportedly said then. "It is a learned behavior. I learned a lot. I learned how not to treat my wife, how not to treat my family. My wife, Faith Hill, is my inspiration and my partner in all I do."

In her U.N. speech Saturday, Watson said she hopes to recruit everyone in the battle to assist women. The British actress said she wanted to end the belief that feminism is equivalent to "man-hating."

"We want to try to galvanize as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for change, and we don't just want to talk about it," she said. "We want to try and make sure that it's tangible."

I think that Emma Watson makes a powerful statement regarding perceptions of feminism and the lack of gender EQUALITY globally. That is not to say that there is not a place for men's rights, but that women also have a long way to go regarding equality of the sexes, particularly in parts of the world where women are seen as little more than property, and are not allowed to attend school, vote, own property, or drive a car.

Hopefully this thread will be more mature than previous threads on the topic. Note Watson's words in the video: "Men, gender equality is your issue, too...men do not have the benefits of equality, either."

[Deleted]

I think obtaining the level of equality many want is pretty much impossible.

[diddle]

I agree with feminism, as it's really just egalitarianism. I think they need to re-brand themselves as egalitarians. "Feminism" is a lost cause.

[Revi]

Hopefully everyone agree that this kind of feminism isn't man-hating, I don't think anyone thinks so. It's the Tumblr-esque feminism most people have problems with, not this.

Very interested to see how they're planing to make this thing tangible though. I can appreciate them trying, but usually this sort of stuff is all empty talk.

[Chain Chungus]

I support feminist ideas but wish they would just say equalist and fight for both sexes wherever there might be injustice.

I think this is why so many men hate feminism: they don't realize it is actually about sexual equality for all because the name has fem- in it. It is a poor use of rhetoric that comes across as sexist and defeats their purpose or slows their progress.

[Feali]

I treat everyone the way they treat me. If they don't show me respect I don't show them respect. If they're hostile against me I'm hostile against them. Doesn't matter if the person is a man or woman, gay straight or whatever, black or caucasian.
I don't see the reason behind doing anything different. I don't have a problem with the concept or aim or feminism but with how some of them are trying to enforce it.

Very heartfelt speech. But since I'm already pretty content with the idea it didn't really change anything for me. #HeForShe

[Celista]

No one in any serious capacity has said, "Feminism is man-hating" anyway.

It is said all of the time in these very forums.

Beyond these forums, I took a philosophy of ethics class during undergrad, with a female professor who spent half a day discussing the subject in class, near the end of the semester. In a class that was roughly 50/50 men: women, she asked how many of us self-identified as feminists...I was one of maybe three people (out of 50 or so) who raised my hand.

So we went around the room and discussed our viewpoints on feminism. Most of the respondents stated that, to paraphrase, they viewed feminists as hostile towards men, with a few people implying outright that they felt feminism was reserved for lesbian radicals. Quite a few women felt that they had achieved equality already with men, and felt the concept was outdated.

So, while I would like to agree with you, I actually think it is a very common viewpoint to be had.

[Jester Joe]

She's right, the entire movement is not a man-hating one.

That being said, like anything with noble intentions, there are a few bad seeds sprinkled in. It would be folly to claim that there are no man haters supporting the movement, but it's just a vocal minority.

It is said all of the time in these very forums.

Beyond these forums, I took a philosophy of ethics class during undergrad, with a female professor who spent half a day discussing the subject in class, near the end of the semester. In a class that was roughly 50/50 men: women, she asked how many of us self-identified as feminists...I was one of maybe three people (out of 50 or so) who raised my hand.

So we went around the room and discussed our viewpoints on feminism. Most of the respondents stated that, to paraphrase, they viewed feminists as hostile towards men, with a few people implying outright that they felt feminism was reserved for lesbian radicals. Quite a few women felt that they had achieved equality already with men, and felt the concept was outdated.

So, while I would like to agree with you, I actually think it is a very common viewpoint to be had.

I don't think it's said that the movement itself is, but it is claimed a few times that most feminist hate men, which is just as a sweeping generalization.

There very much is a negative view stuck on Feminism because of the actions of a few...would be easy to rename the movement to try to avoid that.

[Ecwfrk]

I'll buy feminism isn't man hating when Hope Solo gets treated the same as Ray Rice.

[DarkArchon]

The whole equality thing is a joke anyway. Women shouldn't be equal to Men for several reasons nor are they meant to be.

[Deleted]

Why do people give credence to fucking celebrities?

Last I checked Ms. Watson was not exactly an expert in gender issues. It's like people see a celebrity side with something, and automatically join them from some ingrained need to feel closer to them.

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The whole equality thing is a joke anyway. Women shouldn't be equal to Men for several reasons nor are they meant to be.

Get back in the classroom.

[Tinykong]

Y'all got anymore of that Paid Paternity Leave?

[Vordie]

Why do people give credence to fucking celebrities?

Last I checked Ms. Watson was not exactly an expert in gender issues. It's like people see a celebrity side with something, and automatically join them from some ingrained need to feel closer to them.

Celebrities are the best way to bring light to an issue, whether we like it or not. Siding with a celebrity just to "feel closer to them" is obviously fucking retarded, but I see nothing wrong with seeing a celebrity bring some issue to the table, then realizing it is a REAL issue and siding with them.

I am personally not so much siding with EMMA WATSON HERSELF, but with feminism. That's what this is about.

And honestly, I don't understand why we should discredit someone, simply because they are a celebrity. Emma Watson made a great speech, one that I wouldn't have watched if it wasn't her. I see nothing wrong with that.

[Sky High]

so an egalitarian, altruistic mindset not rooted in misinformation and narcissism (tumblr) is a good thing? who could have seen that coming. I agree that gender issues are not limited to either gender, and to varying degrees across the world. so why they continue to call it "feminism" when it should reflect individual rights and representation is beyond me. I know semantics, but if the very word you use deters people from a good cause then maybe it's time to think of a more appropriate name.

[Sledfang]

women also have a long way to go regarding equality of the sexes, particularly in parts of the world where women are seen as little more than property, and are not allowed to attend school, vote, own property, or drive a car.

I particular agree with this part. Feminism in the West has culminated to a point where most of the stuff that is talked about is utterly petty compared to how women are treated in a large portion of the world.

[Independent voter]

Feminist == man with daughter(s)

[Tinykong]

Because the average Joe knows who Ms. Watson is versus a professor who teaches women studies.

It's like commercials, why use a famous person to sell a product? Because it works.

Sometimes it has the opposite effect, quite a few celebrities who use their position as a mouthpiece are the reasons why I refuse to buy the products they endorse.

[Feali]

Why do people give credence to fucking celebrities?

Last I checked Ms. Watson was not exactly an expert in gender issues. It's like people see a celebrity side with something, and automatically join them from some ingrained need to feel closer to them.

She could be.

Just because she's a celebrity doesn't mean that she's stupid or only concerned with herself.

[Torgent]

Feminism in itself is not a bad thing. Equality between all is very important. Some feminists corrupt the view of feminism, because they are the ones that get the attention by being anti-man. At it's core, feminism is trying to be equal. In some extreme cases, it's women trying to be the master gender. Some will put men down in any way possible instead of attempting to bring women up. That being said, Emma Watson did wonderfully. I hope that what she said is repeated rather than some of the "feminists" being angry at men.

[NuLogic]

Probably doesn't help that the loud ones want equality +1. They also have a lot of that if you're not with us you're below us mentality. There are others with problems too.....