On September 20th, Emma Watson bravely addressed the United Nations about a topic that she recognizes many people have deemed as “aggressive, isolating, anti-men and unattractive”: feminism.
“It is not the word that is important,” Emma continued, “ it is the idea and the ambition behind it.” She implored men to join the feminist cause while launching the U.N.’s newest campaign, “HeForShe”.
She eloquently stressed that feminism and gender equality are not just an issue for women, “both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong.”
Yet despite her sensitivity, elegance and powerful message, Emma is now being attacked and threatened online. Misogynist 4chan bloggers want to punish Emma for her feminist speech and have threatened to leak nude photos of her.
One commenter posted on the website, “It is real and going to happen this weekend. That feminist b*tch Emma is going to show the world she is as much of a whore as any woman.”
“She makes stupid feminist speeches at UN, and now her nudes will be online, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH,” said another.
Perhaps worst of all is the countdown website EmmaYouAreNext.com, created in anticipation of some sort of discipline anti-feminists wish upon Emma.
Emma was cheered and applauded for saying “I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body,” on Saturday. However in this sickening turn of events, 4chan users who have already posted nude photographs of celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Kim Kardashian, want to assumedly publicly humiliate Watson by exposing her body without her consent.
Jill Filipovic from Cosmopolitan.com cautioned, “Nudity shouldn’t be humiliating; neither should sex. But for most of us, our naked bodies are private, and we don’t want them on display without our consent, particularly when the display is intended to make us ashamed of our sexual histories.”
4chan users are using stolen nude photographs for their own enjoyment and to belittle women and their sexuality. It is just wrong. No matter what a woman may say or do, there is no good reason to ever dehumanize them using extremely hurtfully and sexually affiliated words or pictures.
Emma said it herself; feminism is not about or “synonymous with man-hating.” So why do these misogynists feel the need to retaliate and exact retribution on someone who wishes the world was a better place for men and women?
Unfortunately, there is no answer to that question except for the fact that we live in a world where female sexuality is used as a way to hurt and abase women. People like those at 4chan think the best way to refute an argument is to violate a woman’s privacy.
Thankfully, there is still hope for the future and room for improvement. We just need more courageous people like Emma Watson to demand respect for women and speak up about women’s rights.
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[Photo Source: thestar.com]