Step Forward and Be Seen!

"I am inviting you to step forward, be seen, and ask yourself, if not me, who? If not now, when?"

Do you know where this quote is from? Emma Watson recently said this at the UN conference for Women. She has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for Women.

Why should you care? Let me break this down.

The United Nations is a meeting place, of sorts, for countries to come together and discuss important issues. Things like war, the world economy, trade, nuclear weapons etc are all discussed here among the nations. One thing discussed, but not really highlighted, is that of Women's Rights. Emma Watson hopes to change this...you know her as "Hermonie" from Harry Potter.

Emma recently a gave speech. In very, very basic terms she says that women should be treated as men are. She is working for gender equality. She's saying that women should be paid the same amount of money as men are for the same jobs. Women should not be limited because they are girls. Women should not be assumed to less because they can give birth. 

Why does this matter to you? Well, if you're a girl competing in a pageant, you will likely be asked about women's rights. Or about 'role models'. Or about 'girls being less than boys', etc etc. You need to know what is going on in the world. But in general, if you are a girl, you should realize that all girls are not treated equally around the world. You may be more qualified than a man at a job, but you will be paid less. You may be the best to lead a team or a country, but you are looked at as less...because you are a girl. You should feel free to be strong and be your best self...you should feel free to be a more complete and true version of yourself. And I cannot turn a blind eye to what she says about her dad and boys being seen as "weak" for showing feelings and emotions...gender equality is the issue at hand here.

And if you're a girl considering pageants and platforms...this is a great example of a platform and a girl having real passion for a cause. I encourage you to watch the video and see Emma's true passion. Look at her speech and notice and her smile, her pace when speaking, her genuine connection to the topic, and how she makes everyone (men and women) connect to what she is saying. She gives statistics and stories...she gives life to this topic and makes everyone listen. She commands the room. Could you do the same about your platform or passion?

I encourage you to view the video and comment below. Do you agree with Emma? How do you feel? Be honest, tell me what you think!