if not me then who and if not now then when
when
when these two questions are the reason I
these two questions are the reason I
these two questions are the reason I stand before you today I say this
stand before you today I say this
stand before you today I say this because it would be a blatant lie to
because it would be a blatant lie to
because it would be a blatant lie to tell you it was easy for me to get up
tell you it was easy for me to get up
tell you it was easy for me to get up here and to speak about what I feel
here and to speak about what I feel
here and to speak about what I feel compelled to speak about I would be
compelled to speak about I would be
compelled to speak about I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about
lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about
lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about what you all might think or feel of me
what you all might think or feel of me
what you all might think or feel of me for what I want to say but I also would
for what I want to say but I also would
for what I want to say but I also would be lying if I said these concerns that I
be lying if I said these concerns that I
be lying if I said these concerns that I have are more important to me than this
have are more important to me than this
have are more important to me than this issue I would be lying if I said my
issue I would be lying if I said my
issue I would be lying if I said my image in your eyes was more important to
image in your eyes was more important to
image in your eyes was more important to me than the topic at hand so here I am
me than the topic at hand so here I am
me than the topic at hand so here I am and the irony of it all is that these
and the irony of it all is that these
and the irony of it all is that these fears that I have are the exact reason
fears that I have are the exact reason
fears that I have are the exact reason it’s so important that I speak anyway
it’s so important that I speak anyway
it’s so important that I speak anyway these fears have been ingrained in me
these fears have been ingrained in me
these fears have been ingrained in me since I was little however I can
since I was little however I can
since I was little however I can actually pinpoint the exact moment they
actually pinpoint the exact moment they
actually pinpoint the exact moment they really set in I was sitting in my grade
really set in I was sitting in my grade
really set in I was sitting in my grade 10 English class one day listening to a
10 English class one day listening to a
10 English class one day listening to a girl give a speech about feminism the
girl give a speech about feminism the
girl give a speech about feminism the boy beside me snickered and mumbled
boy beside me snickered and mumbled
boy beside me snickered and mumbled something to his friend betting on
something to his friend betting on
something to his friend betting on whether or not she was a lesbian
whether or not she was a lesbian
whether or not she was a lesbian the other boy laughed and they continued
the other boy laughed and they continued
the other boy laughed and they continued on like that the entire time she gave
on like that the entire time she gave
on like that the entire time she gave her speech and he sat there listen to
her speech and he sat there listen to
her speech and he sat there listen to all she had to say and found myself
all she had to say and found myself
all she had to say and found myself agreeing with many of her valid points
agreeing with many of her valid points
agreeing with many of her valid points but yet after hearing those boys
but yet after hearing those boys
but yet after hearing those boys something had changed in the discussion
something had changed in the discussion
something had changed in the discussion that followed I no longer simply felt
that followed I no longer simply felt
that followed I no longer simply felt comfortable just stating that I agreed
comfortable just stating that I agreed
comfortable just stating that I agreed with what she had said now I felt
with what she had said now I felt
with what she had said now I felt compelled to clear the air first not a
compelled to clear the air first not a
compelled to clear the air first not a feminist but yes I believe in gender
feminist but yes I believe in gender
feminist but yes I believe in gender equality I wouldn’t call myself a
equality I wouldn’t call myself a
equality I wouldn’t call myself a feminist but I definitely think women
feminist but I definitely think women
feminist but I definitely think women should have a say in laws that affect
should have a say in laws that affect
should have a say in laws that affect their bodies no feminist is too harsh I
their bodies no feminist is too harsh I
their bodies no feminist is too harsh I just believed that women should be paid
just believed that women should be paid
just believed that women should be paid equally for doing the same work this
equally for doing the same work this
equally for doing the same work this mindset continued for me throughout high
mindset continued for me throughout high
mindset continued for me throughout high school and I felt comfortable with this
school and I felt comfortable with this
school and I felt comfortable with this because literally almost everyone I met
because literally almost everyone I met
because literally almost everyone I met spoke the same way about feminism it’s
spoke the same way about feminism it’s
spoke the same way about feminism it’s such a taboo in our society
such a taboo in our society
such a taboo in our society because of the stigma and stereotypes
because of the stigma and stereotypes
because of the stigma and stereotypes associated with the word I was blind to
associated with the word I was blind to
associated with the word I was blind to the fact that I was a walking
the fact that I was a walking
the fact that I was a walking contradiction
contradiction
contradiction saying one thing and believing another I
saying one thing and believing another I
saying one thing and believing another I was so ignorant and concerned about
was so ignorant and concerned about
was so ignorant and concerned about preserving my image in the eyes of my
preserving my image in the eyes of my
preserving my image in the eyes of my peers and society around me that I
peers and society around me that I
peers and society around me that I turned my back on my beliefs and my
turned my back on my beliefs and my
turned my back on my beliefs and my values but it wasn’t until recently that
values but it wasn’t until recently that
values but it wasn’t until recently that I even realized this I was on Twitter
I even realized this I was on Twitter
I even realized this I was on Twitter one day and I saw a link to Emma
one day and I saw a link to Emma
one day and I saw a link to Emma Watson’s speech at the UN promoting the
Watson’s speech at the UN promoting the
Watson’s speech at the UN promoting the he for she campaign so I watched it and
he for she campaign so I watched it and
he for she campaign so I watched it and she spoke about feminism in a way that I
she spoke about feminism in a way that I
she spoke about feminism in a way that I had never heard before she explained
had never heard before she explained
had never heard before she explained that feminism by very definition is the
that feminism by very definition is the
that feminism by very definition is the political social and economic equality
political social and economic equality
political social and economic equality of the genders she then asked two
of the genders she then asked two
of the genders she then asked two questions that I will never forget if
questions that I will never forget if
questions that I will never forget if not me then who and if not now then when
not me then who and if not now then when
not me then who and if not now then when these two questions are the reason I’m
these two questions are the reason I’m
these two questions are the reason I’m standing on this stage today feminism is
standing on this stage today feminism is
standing on this stage today feminism is the movement for the equality of the
the movement for the equality of the
the movement for the equality of the genders and although our society is so
genders and although our society is so
genders and although our society is so advanced and modern in some respects we
advanced and modern in some respects we
advanced and modern in some respects we still have a very long way to go when it
still have a very long way to go when it
still have a very long way to go when it comes to this one and I apologize for I
comes to this one and I apologize for I
comes to this one and I apologize for I know fully well that I’m not nearly as
know fully well that I’m not nearly as
know fully well that I’m not nearly as eloquent or as articulate as Emma Watson
eloquent or as articulate as Emma Watson
eloquent or as articulate as Emma Watson maybe it’s the lack of British accent I
maybe it’s the lack of British accent I
maybe it’s the lack of British accent I don’t know but perhaps my story will
don’t know but perhaps my story will
don’t know but perhaps my story will resonate with you as hers did with me
resonate with you as hers did with me
resonate with you as hers did with me see I’m just a person who believes women
see I’m just a person who believes women
see I’m just a person who believes women around the world have a right to
around the world have a right to
around the world have a right to education I’m just a person who believes
education I’m just a person who believes
education I’m just a person who believes that men should be respected equally for
that men should be respected equally for
that men should be respected equally for their role as parents and I’m just a
their role as parents and I’m just a
their role as parents and I’m just a person who believes there should be an
person who believes there should be an
person who believes there should be an equal representation of both genders and
equal representation of both genders and
equal representation of both genders and politics and I’m just a person who
politics and I’m just a person who
politics and I’m just a person who believes women should be paid equally
believes women should be paid equally
believes women should be paid equally for doing the same work as men and I
for doing the same work as men and I
for doing the same work as men and I personally plan on bringing children
personally plan on bringing children
personally plan on bringing children into this world someday
into this world someday
into this world someday and with that being said I have to
and with that being said I have to
and with that being said I have to believe in a better future a future
believe in a better future a future
believe in a better future a future where it’s no longer possible in any
where it’s no longer possible in any
where it’s no longer possible in any culture for six-year-old girls to be
culture for six-year-old girls to be
culture for six-year-old girls to be sold off into marriages with full-grown
sold off into marriages with full-grown
sold off into marriages with full-grown men a future where it’s no longer
men a future where it’s no longer
men a future where it’s no longer possible for a man to brutally rape a
possible for a man to brutally rape a
possible for a man to brutally rape a woman behind a dumpster and be walking
woman behind a dumpster and be walking
woman behind a dumpster and be walking free out of jail in just three months a
free out of jail in just three months a
free out of jail in just three months a future where it’s no longer common
future where it’s no longer common
future where it’s no longer common practice in any society for babies to be
practice in any society for babies to be
practice in any society for babies to be killed simply because they’re female and
killed simply because they’re female and
killed simply because they’re female and I could very easily go on denying these
I could very easily go on denying these
I could very easily go on denying these things that I believe
things that I believe
things that I believe just as I could have also very easily
just as I could have also very easily
just as I could have also very easily backed out of this talk because of the
backed out of this talk because of the
backed out of this talk because of the fears and reservations that I had about
fears and reservations that I had about
fears and reservations that I had about doing this but like Emma Watson said if
doing this but like Emma Watson said if
doing this but like Emma Watson said if not me then who and if not now then when
not me then who and if not now then when
not me then who and if not now then when so I stand before you today able to
so I stand before you today able to
so I stand before you today able to proudly say that I am a feminist I
proudly say that I am a feminist I
proudly say that I am a feminist I understand that feminism is the movement
understand that feminism is the movement
understand that feminism is the movement for the Equality of the sexes and that
for the Equality of the sexes and that
for the Equality of the sexes and that the issues feminists advocate for
the issues feminists advocate for
the issues feminists advocate for pertain to both genders I believe that
pertain to both genders I believe that
pertain to both genders I believe that in order for grants be made on this
in order for grants be made on this
in order for grants be made on this issue both men and women must be
issue both men and women must be
issue both men and women must be comfortable associating themselves with
comfortable associating themselves with
comfortable associating themselves with the cause and with the word itself now I
the cause and with the word itself now I
the cause and with the word itself now I realize that this would mean changing
realize that this would mean changing
realize that this would mean changing the way we think and feel as a society
the way we think and feel as a society
the way we think and feel as a society when the word feminism is brought up in
when the word feminism is brought up in
when the word feminism is brought up in a conversation and I of all people
a conversation and I of all people
a conversation and I of all people understand that this may seem difficult
understand that this may seem difficult
understand that this may seem difficult however I believe it doesn’t need to be
however I believe it doesn’t need to be
however I believe it doesn’t need to be for this type of change to be ignited I
for this type of change to be ignited I
for this type of change to be ignited I believe all it would take is one spark
believe all it would take is one spark
believe all it would take is one spark one conversation maybe you’re sitting
one conversation maybe you’re sitting
one conversation maybe you’re sitting there today and just like I was you’re
there today and just like I was you’re
there today and just like I was you’re not a feminist but yet something I’ve
not a feminist but yet something I’ve
not a feminist but yet something I’ve said has resonated with you on some
said has resonated with you on some
said has resonated with you on some level if this is the case I urge you to
level if this is the case I urge you to
level if this is the case I urge you to keep the conversation going talk to the
keep the conversation going talk to the
keep the conversation going talk to the person beside you ask your questions
person beside you ask your questions
person beside you ask your questions seek more information all the while
seek more information all the while
seek more information all the while asking yourself if not me then who and
asking yourself if not me then who and
asking yourself if not me then who and if not now then when
if not now then when
if not now then when thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
Be First to Comment