CElebrity feminism

 

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 1

 

Name: Emily A.

Age: 22

Gender: Female

Nationality: UK, living in Oxford

 

 

Are you aware of Emma Watson’s involvement in feminism, if so how and when did you first hear about it?

 

Yes, I am! Since I’m very much involved in feminism myself and I have researched a lot of feminist personalities, such as Malala Yousafzai, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie, Beyonce and also Emma Watson. Their work is very empowering to women, but also anyone on this planet since equality is relevant to everyone. Emma Watson’s speech for HeForShe Campaign at the United Nations Headquaters in 2014 was one of the first times I heard her publicly speaking about feminism – it was very inspirational. She speaks with a lot of knowledge and passion. All of what she said in her speech where things I could relate with a lot and was very moving.

 

How often do you use Twitter and YouTube and what are the reasons for using it in the first place?

 

I use Twitter quite frequently, depending on how busy I am at university or just generally. I use it to promote my all-female cappella group The Oxford Belles, but also just generally for fun, to share some thoughts and keep up-to-date with what is happening in the Twitter community and with my friends. Regarding YouTube, I actually watched Emma Watson’s UN Speech a couple of times and showed it to some of my friends back in 2014. Generally, I also use YouTube to gather opinions on some topics regarding feminism. There are some interesting videos featuring diverse opinions.

 

What do you think about the HeForShe Campaign, Emma is involved in?

 

As I already mentioned earlier, gender equality is a great topic, since it targets everyone. People always assume that feminism is only for women (which it is not), but gender equality somehow seems to address a wider range. I feel like the role of an UN ambassador and her speech helped her step into a more political surrounding and for her public opinion to be taken more seriously. Her transparency and honest commitment makes her one of the most inspiring and strongest feminist of this century.

 

Do you engage in discussions on Twitter or comment below YouTube videos?

 

If I really feel a need to express myself, yes. I’m generally open and say straight away how I feel about something I see or hear; like or dislike.

 

Do you follow Emma Watson on Twitter and if so why?

 

I do! Not only because I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, growing up with Emma playing the bold and strong Hermoine, but also because she shares very interesting content online. She openly addresses topics such as sexism, feminism and gender equality and I think spreading awareness is of huge value and almost essential in today’s world.   

 

Did you see Emma Watson’s MTV Awards Acceptance speech and if so what were your thoughts on it?

 

Yes, I remember that the video was shared on social media a lot. I liked how she addressed the genderless award and its importance of not separating it into two different categories: “Empathy, and the ability to use your imagination, should have no limits.” In my opinion a clever shot at targeting a diverse audience and addressing the topic of gender equality indiscreetly.

 

Did you hear about the controversial topics of Emma Watson’s naked photo shoot in the Vanity Fair and her role as Belle in Beauty as the Beast?

 

Ergh, all the comments on social media as well as news articles criticising Emma Watson on her photo shoot and apparently ‘submissive’ role as Belle, make me very angry. Since when does feminism forbid to express yourself in an artistic photoshoot? Should Emma Watson really suppress her sexuality because she is a) a woman, b) a freminist, or c) a public figure?

Controversy will always be a part of who she is. As a public figure, as a political figure, every moment of her life will be reviewed and evaluated.

 

Are you familiar with Emma Watson’s feminist book club Our Shared Shelf and if so what are your thoughts on it?

 

Yes, she is frequently promoting the book club on her Twitter account! As a matter of fact, I’m a member of the book club since I don’t only love reading but also consider myself being a feminist. It is a great community and brings together a lot of lovely people discussing well-written and interesting literature! Emma Watson once again created something very empowering whilst spreading awareness and educating on the sensitive topic of feminism.

 

What are your final thought on Emma Watson as a feminist?

 

To me, she is the definition of a feminist. A person who fights for justice and equality, who points real problems and who always dedicates herself to it, whatever it be during awards, as a UN ambassador or in her daily life. I’m glad that people like her exist (and I wish there would be more) who speak openly about feminism and educate the public on this important topic – to me this is worth a lot.

 

 

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 2

 

Name: Pippa S.

Age: 19

Gender: Female 

Nationality: UK, living in London 

 

 

Are you aware of Emma Watson’s involvement in feminism, if so how and when did you first hear about it? 

 

I am definitely aware of her involvement in feminism! I’ve been following her on Twitter for years now. I was a major Harry Potter geek, which is why I started following her in the first place, but after her speech at the United Nations in 2011, I became involved in her feminist movement also. 

 

Would you consider yourself to be a feminist? 

 

Most definitely. I’m not a really active feminist though. I don’t burn my bra on the streets, so to say haha. After I saw Emma promoting the London Women’s March I did take part in that though; I feel like it’s important to make a stance every now and then, without creating too much drama in public.

 

How often do you use Twitter and YouTube and what are the reasons for using it in the first place? 

 

I use Twitter multiple times a day. To see what my friends are up to and share my own whereabouts too. Besides that, I follow some of my role models to keep myself inspired. People like obviously Emma Watson, but also Beyoncé, Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. I use YouTube every single day to explore new fields of music since I cancelled my Spotify subscription. Also, the advantage of YouTube is it being available to anyone, so I like spending my spare time watching manifests of fellow feminists all over the world. I wouldn’t make such a manifest myself, since I don’t like that kind of public attention, but I support everyone who makes them.

 

Do you engage in discussions on Twitter or comment below YouTube videos? 

 

On Twitter, yes. I wouldn’t say I’m super active in the discussion part of Twitter, but I kind of hope to draw attention to the matters by retweeting other feminists. On YouTube, sometimes I comment on these mentioned manifests to show my support, but I never really get into discussions there.

 

Do you follow Emma Watson on Twitter and if so why? 

 

 Yes! I think I justified this one earlier, didn’t I? Because I was a Harry Potter geek as a kid, and now find her an inspiring woman and role-model in the feminist field.

 

Did you see Emma Watson’s UN speech on Youtube and if so what were your thoughts on it? 

 

I think I was around 15 when that speech was put on YouTube. I didn’t really have an idea of what it was like to be a woman in this world, but I did identify myself in the point she made about young girls being sexualised. That speech was my first real confrontation with feminism and I became so much more aware of certain issues after having seen it. I was very young, but I think I became a feminist after listening to that speech.

 

Are you familiar with her involvement in the HeForShe equality campaign and if so what are your thoughts on it? 

 

I’m supportive of the HeForShe campaign and feel like it will be a game changer in time. I address it every now and then in my group of friends – which consist of men too – and I triggered some of them to join the movement actually! I noticed that it was harder to convince the men to join, but after they got a realistic view on the inequality in the world they were happy to join.

 

Did you see Emma Watson’s MTV Awards Acceptance speech and if so what were your thoughts on it? 

 

Yes that was not too long ago, was it? She won the genderless award for ‘Best Actor’. That is actually one of the few YouTube videos on which I commented on lately. As a woman and a feminist, I was so proud of her! It was so cool to see her not just being a woman, but an equal member of the Hollywood community.

 

Did you hear about the controversial topics of Emma Watson’s naked photo shoot in the Vanity Fair and her role as Belle in Beauty as the Beast?  

 

Yes, I’ve seen the topics pass on Twitter. To be honest, I did not really pay that much attention to it. I know Emma’s ideals and I know what feminism stands for. The fact that she did a beautiful semi-nude photo shoot for a professional magazine has nothing to do with her being a feminist. Feminism is about being able to make choices and not have anyone questioning every single move you make. And the Belle controversy… Emma is a professional actress that is also just trying to make a living, and besides that, there are always multiple angles to a story. It is one’s own decision as to which angle will be focussed on the most. In my opinion; Belle is an outcast in her village because she dared to dream bigger and would not limit herself to the borders of her town. Belle is a powerful princess, portrayed by a powerful actress.

 

Are you familiar with Emma Watson’s feminist book club Our Shared Shelf and if so what are your thoughts on it? 

 

Of course, I’m familiar with it. I have to confess though; I’m not much of a reader myself. Every now and then I check the new books that are recommended and discussed, but I never really read them or anything.

 

What are your final thought on Emma Watson as a feminist? 

 

I love her, and her influence on feminism in general. I think she is a genuine, inspirational role model for all girls and women out there! It’s a shame most people still just see her as ‘just Hermione Granger’ because she obviously has so much more to offer. I hope one day she will get all the credits and attention she deserves, and gender equality will be a reality rather than a movement.

 

 

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT 3

 

Name: Tom E.

Age: 24

Gender: Male

Nationality: UK, living in Utrecht

 

 

Are you aware of Emma Watson’s involvement in feminism, if so how and when did you first hear about it?

 

I am, I've heard bits and pieces through various grapevines, but the first moment it properly caught my attention was with the genderless MTV Award that she won at the beginning of the month. I saw articles on social media highlighting some quotes out of her speech. But generally, it was more aware of her as an actress rather than a feminist.

 

Would you consider yourself to be a Feminist?

 

No. Obviously I’m familiar with the movement and everything that comes with it, though I never really read into it. I think I can’t just make a statement of supporting something without being educated on the matter.

 

How often do you use Twitter and YouTube and what are the reasons for using it in the first place?

 

I have a Twitter account, but I don’t usually post or retweet anything – I rather use it to scan my news feed and look for the most discussed topics and related hashtags. In regards to Youtube, I generally use it to entertain myself, so that's listening to music or watching popular videos.

 

Do you engage in discussions on Twitter or comment below YouTube videos?

 

On YouTube, I just watch the videos, I can't remember the last time I commented on anything. For me, YouTube is meant as a source of entertainment, rather than a platform where I come to check on the world’s vision on certain ideas. If I wanted to do so, I would check news websites and broadcasts. And with Twitter, like I mentioned earlier; I use it to entertain myself. Scan through what’s going on. I do check on these mentioned discussions, though I don’t find engaging in them an attractive option. People on the internet tend to be really rude and make unsupported statements, which bugs me.

 

Do you follow Emma Watson on Twitter and if so why? 

 

No, I'm not particularly interested in her and her life.

 

Did you see Emma Watson’s UN speech on YouTube and if so what were your thoughts on it?

 

It rings a bell. I think I saw it somewhere in a ‘trending’ list on YouTube, however I cannot recall the content or whether I have actually watched it. As I said, I’m not much interested in feminism and the movement going alongside with it. Besides, don’t celebrities always engage in charity or goodwill campaigns to get attention?

 

So you think that Emma Watson is expressing herself on feminism for media attention and as a popularity tool?

 

In a way, yes. I feel like becoming a feminist has almost become ‘trendy’. I feel like every almost every girl nowadays is somehow to be a  little feminist and does things like joining the Women’s March, because everyone else does it and it’s ‘cool’. That’s why I can imagine Emma Watson using it to achieve some favourable headlines in the news and an image of being a great role model in today’s society. She is an actor after all, why not act like a feminist to gain some popularity?

Did you see Emma Watson’s MTV Awards Acceptance speech for the genderless award and if so what were your thoughts on it?

 

Nope, I didn't see it. It’s probably somewhere on YouTube, isn’t it? I have heard of the whole event though. It was on the news because it was the first genderless award ever. I think that’s a bit exaggerated though. Have you ever heard of an award category that separates female directors from male ones? That’s what I thought. There are several genderless awards out there, like Best Director, but this one was supposedly the very first. I mean, good for her to have won it, she probably deserved it. I just feel like the topic of the genderless award is fake news.

 

Did you hear about the controversial topics of Emma Watson’s naked photo shoot in the Vanity Fair and her role as Belle in Beauty as the Beast?  

 

That sounds vaguely familiar. I think I saw something about those online, I suppose. What was it all about again?

 

Emma Watson had a cover shoot for Vanity Fair in which she was barely dressed, showing parts of her breasts and more skin in general. The controversy regarded Emma being a bad role-model as a feminist since she would be sexualising herself by making pictures like this. What do you think and feel about this?

 

Again, I’m generally not interested in those kind of discussions and scandal news. I can only say that from my point of view, people can do what they want with themselves, whatever that means to everyone personally. News is always trying to be shocking and put way too much emphasis on ridiculous irrelevant things. I feel like it doesn’t really matter – she is an actress, she might as well do some kind of artistic fashion shoot for a magazine. I don’t judge, neither should anyone else.

 

The second controversy regards Watson's role as Belle in Beauty and the Beast. She herself describes Belle as an independent woman who dared to dream big and step outside her comfort zone, the public however describes Belle as a submissive princess with Stockholm Syndrome that is far from independent. Have you heard of this controversy and/or have thoughts on this?

 

I have not actually seen the new film so don't really know how they've done it. But as far as I'm concerned she's an actress and she's playing a role. Arguing that her playing Belle has some kind of impact on feminism is like saying that Johnny Depp is an advocate for pirate's rights. It's just a bloody film. Again, probably just the news again that got bored and needed something to talk about.

 

Are you familiar with Emma Watson’s feminist book club Our Shared Shelf and if so what are your thoughts on it?

 

No, to be honest I’ve never heard nor have I come across it.

 

What are your final thought on Emma Watson as a feminist?

 

I view Emma Watson as an actress who enjoys to be politically active. However, in my opinion, some of her involvement is a bit to extreme and looks fake to me. I feel she – just like Beyonce or Madonna – only use their sudden commitment to feminism as a popularity tool. She probably got told by their manager what to say and to do to get that little extra bit of attention. However, I feel like her role in Beauty and the Beast as well as the photo shoot has nothing to do with her as a ‘feminist’ – just let her do what she wants, we’re all human.