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Emma Watson Speech Essay

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On September 20th, 2014, popular British actress and role model, Emma Watson, gave a speech at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York. As a UN Global Goodwill Ambassador, Watson serves as the public face for the HeForShe campaign initiated by UN women. Her speech, entitled “Gender Equality Is Your Issue Too,” advocates for gender equality, empowers those at the special event, and urges the audience to change gender stereotypes. Watson conveys this message with moving anecdotes appealing to pathos, rhetorical questions that encourage audience members to deeply consider the question, and anaphora emphasizing her point that inequality is everyone’s issue.
In order to evoke empathy within her audience, Watson tells short stories and references her personal experiences with gender inequality. She mentions her first encounter with gender inequality: “I started questioning gender-based assumptions when at eight I was confused at being called 'bossy', because I wanted to direct the plays we would put on for our parents-but the boys were not" (Watson). This is an effective utilization of an anecdote because her story exemplifies how assumptions about gender, such as the traditional stereotype that women are ‘bossy’, are reinforced at a young age. Including this example and demonstrating how damaging gender stereotypes can start early on, Watson demonstrates that advocacy is necessary. Watson furthers this point in her speech by explaining, “My girlfriends started dropping

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