NEW YORK, Dec. 2 (UPI) — Emma Watson has continued to refer to herself as a feminist despite others not wanting her to.
During a recent interview with the Evening Standard, the Harry Potter star openly discussed how she was advised not use the word ‘feminism’ during her much lauded speech at the U.N. Women’s HeforShe launch event aimed at encouraging men to fight for equality.
“I was encouraged not to use the word ‘feminism’ because people felt that it was alienating and separating and the whole idea of the speech was to include as many people as possible,” the actress told the magazine “But I thought long and hard and ultimately felt that it was just the right thing to do. If women are terrified to use the word, how on earth are men supposed to start using it?”
Watson defended her right to use the term during the speech saying at the time, “The more I have talked about feminism, the more I’ve realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.”
The experience was an eye-opening one for Watson who also mentioned how comfortable she is now in always speaking her mind. “Now at 25, for the first time in my life I feel like I have a sense of self that I’m comfortable with. I actually do have things that I want to say and I want to be my most authentic self.”
Watson last made headlines in November after she met with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai for the premiere of her biopic, He Named Me Malala where they discussed embracing feminism.
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