Emma Watson and Tom Hanks cover the new issue of Esquire UK. The issue has a theme – “Women & Men” – which is part of a collaboration with Emma’s work with the United Nations HeForShe program and Esquire. While I still enjoy the fact that Emma is a mainstream advocate for mainstream feminism, I rolled my eyes a few times at Esquire’s write-up about how this issue came to fruition. It’s basically like “men should care about women because moms, sisters, daughters.” Like, men will only care about women’s issues if you can only prove to men that someone they care about is affected. Maybe that’s a realpolitik truth, but I find it sad nonetheless. Anyway, here are some highlights from Emma’s interview:

She’s experienced sexism first hand: “I’ve had my arse slapped as I’ve left a room. I’ve felt scared walking home. I’ve had people following me. I don’t talk about these experiences much, because coming from me they’ll sound like a huge deal and I don’t want this to be about me, but most women I know have experienced it and worse.”

Wage equality: “We are not supposed to talk about money, because people will think you’re “difficult” or a “diva”. But there’s a willingness now to be like, “Fine. Call me a ‘diva’, call me a ‘feminazi’, call me ‘difficult’, call me a “First World feminist’, call me whatever you want, it’s not going to stop me from trying to do the right thing and make sure that the right thing happens.” Because it doesn’t just affect me, it affects all the other women who are in this with me, and it affects all the other men who are in this with me, too. Hollywood is just a small piece of a gigantic puzzle but it’s in the spotlight. Whether you are a woman on a tea plantation in Kenya, or a stockbroker on Wall Street, or a Hollywood actress, no one is being paid equally.”

Why more men should identify as feminists: “There are misconceptions about the word. The way it is constructed — it’s obviously got ‘feminine’ in the word — immediately pushes men away from it, because they think, “Oh, it’s got nothing to do with me.” Also, they have this idea that it is about women competing with men, or being against men, or wanting to be men, which is a huge misconception. Women want to be women. We just want to be treated equally. It’s not about man hating. [US feminist, author and activist] Bell Hooks says, “Patriarchy has no gender.” It’s true.”

[From Esquire UK]

I read the full Esquire piece and the “arse slapped” part was definitely an answer to a question about sexim. But just in case anyone cares, that’s not sexism, that’s assault. If someone puts his hands on you without your permission, that’s assault. As for the “fine, call me whatever name” thing… there are few labels that enrage me more than “feminazi.” That term became popular among Rush Limbaugh’s Dittoheads years ago, and it’s still used to minimize completely legitimate complaints. It also paints women’s rights advocates and feminists as violent, aggressive or somehow hysterical. And even though I know the point Emma is making – that whatever label you throw at her will not stop her – I do feel like some of those labels should be off the table. Some of those labels should be called out for what they are: ignorant and offensive. Because words do matter.

Photos courtesy of Esquire UK.