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Seth Chow

Katie Aaker

Pre-AP English

15 January 2020

Emma Watson “HeForShe” Speech Analysis

“...the reality is that if we do nothing it will take 75 years, or for me to be nearly a

hundred before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work.” This quote by

the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson, is a sample of how Watson uses

rhetorical appeals to push her idea of ending gender inequality to the UN. As previously stated,

Watson is an ambassador at the UN, and has been working to solve the issue regarding gender

equality through the “HeForShe” campaign. Watson argues that gender equality must come to an

end, utilizing rhetorical appeals such as ethos and logos to persuade others as a call to action.

In her speech, Watson uses the rhetorical appeal, ethos, to give credibility and support to

her argument to further persuade her audience. Emma Watson explains to the UN that “when at

15 [her] girlfriends started dropping out of their sports teams because they didn’t want to appear

‘muscly’.” (Watson 4). Watson’s statement shows that her female friends quit something they

liked to conform with society, so that their physiques would not be too much like a man’s. This

short story that Watson tells is an example of the rhetorical appeal, ethos, as she tells her

audience of something that’s happened to people around her, giving credibility to her claim as

her story relates to gender inequality. Watson’s small story provides support to her argument as
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she has proof of gender inequality appearing in her life and how it has affected her friends at

such a young age, allowing her audience to trust that Watson’s cause is just. Watson continues to

talk more about her experiences, claiming her “life has been a sheer privilege because [her]

parents didn’t love [her] less because [she] was born a daughter. [Her] school did not limit [her]

because [she] was a girl.” (Watson 7). Emma Watson appeals to the audience’s trust as she

provides background to how she has been treated regarding her gender. Watson claims that

compared to other girls, her life has been far better because her family and those around her did

not treat her any less than her male counterparts. By sharing her experiences of being

“privileged”, Watson shows the UN that there are worse situations around the world, thus

utilizing the rhetorical appeal Ethos to convince her audience to make a stand against gender

inequality.

Throughout her speech, Emma Watson uses a different rhetorical appeal, logos, to

persuade the UN to help end the gender equality issue. Watson gives an explanation on how

things for men and women can change by giving a solution: to “stop defining each other by what

we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are- we can all be freer and this is what

HeForShe is about.” (Watson 13). Emma Watson describes that HeForShe is about freedom for

all people from gender stereotypes, and appeals to her audience’s logic by giving a clarification

as to how everyone can be free from their gender stereotypes (to look at each other the way we

are, not what we aren’t). Watson influences the UN as she gives a logical statement that everyone

would want to follow so that the problem of gender equality can be solved. Later in her speech,

Watson reveals “the reality is that if we do nothing it will take 75 years, or for [her] to be a

hundred before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work. 15.5 million
 3

girls will be married in the next 16 years as children. And at current rates it won’t be until 2086

before all rural African girls will be able to receive a secondary education.” (Watson 17). Emma

Watson uses statistics (75 years until women can have same pay, 15.5 million married girls, etc.)

to convince her audience to go against gender inequality as the data allures to the people’s logical

thinking, having been factually correct and researched. The data that Watson utilizes in this quote

supports her argument as it presents the oppression on the female gender, along with how long it

will take until these unjust acts will be abolished, causing one’s logic to agree with Emma

Watson on her take of what needs to be done in terms of gender equality. Watson persuades her

audience using statistics and logical statements, as seen with her data on female oppression and

suggested solution for gender equality.

Emma Watson calls for everyone to take action against gender inequality, using rhetorical

appeals ethos and logos to convince her audience to join her cause. Gender inequality is a

world-wide issue, causing a range of divisions between the two genders including stereotypes,

social stigmas, and generated conflict to the opposing genders. With the help of everyone joining

the cause of HeForShe; men, women, and all the in-between, can enjoy freedom without

segregation nor persecution in a gender inequality-free world.

28 January 2020

Revision:

(highlighted portions are the areas changed and correspond to the “fixed” versions that have been

highlighted.)
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“...the reality is that if we do nothing it will take 75 years, or for me to be nearly a

hundred before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work.” This quote by

the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson, is a sample of how Watson uses

rhetorical appeals to push her idea of ending gender inequality to the UN. As previously stated,

Watson is an ambassador at the UN, and has been working to solve the issue regarding gender

equality through the “HeForShe” campaign. Watson argues that gender equality must come to an

end, and to stop gender stereotypes, the “HeForShe” campaign needs help from everyone: both

men and women. Watson utilizes rhetorical appeals such as ethos and logos to persuade her

audience and help support the action against gender inequality.

In her speech, Watson uses the rhetorical appeal, ethos, to give credibility and support to

her argument to further persuade her audience. Emma Watson explains to the UN that “when at

15 [her] girlfriends started dropping out of their sports teams because they didn’t want to appear

‘muscly’.” (Watson 4). Watson’s statement shows that her female friends quit something they

liked to conform with society, so that their physiques would not be too much like a man’s. This

short story that Watson tells is an example of the rhetorical appeal, ethos, as she tells her

audience of something that’s happened to people around her, giving credibility to her claim as

her story relates to gender inequality. Watson’s small story provides support to her argument as

she has proof of gender inequality appearing in her life and how it has affected her friends at

such a young age, allowing her audience to trust that Watson’s cause is just. Watson continues to

talk more about her experiences, claiming her “life has been a sheer privilege because [her]

parents didn’t love [her] less because [she] was born a daughter. [Her] school did not limit [her]
 5

because [she] was a girl.” (Watson 7). Emma Watson appeals to the audience’s trust as she

provides background to how she has been treated regarding her gender. Watson claims that

compared to other girls, her life has been far better because her family and those around her did

not treat her any less than her male counterparts. By sharing her experiences of being

“privileged”, Watson shows the UN that there are worse situations around the world, thus

utilizing the rhetorical appeal Ethos to convince her audience to make a stand against gender

inequality.

Throughout her speech, Emma Watson uses a different rhetorical appeal, logos, to

persuade the UN to help end the gender equality issue. Watson gives explanation on how things

for men and women can change by giving a solution: to “stop defining each other by what we are

not and start defining ourselves by what we are- we can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is

about.” (Watson 13). Emma Watson describes that HeForShe is about freedom for all people

from gender stereotypes, and appeals to her audience’s logic by giving a clarification as to how

everyone can be free from their gender stereotypes (to look at each other the way we are, not

what we aren’t). Watson influences the UN as she gives a logical statement that everyone would

want to follow so that the problem of gender equality can be solved. Later in her speech, Watson

reveals “the reality is that if we do nothing it will take 75 years, or for [her] to be a hundred

before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work. 15.5 million girls will

be married in the next 16 years as children. And at current rates it won’t be until 2086 before all

rural African girls will be able to receive a secondary education.” (Watson 17). Emma Watson

uses statistics (75 years until women can have same pay, 15.5 million married girls, etc.) to

convince her audience to go against gender inequality as the data allures to the people’s logical
 6

thinking, having been factually correct and researched. The data that Watson utilizes in this quote

supports her argument as it presents the oppression on the female gender, along with how long it

will take until these unjust acts will be abolished, causing one’s logic to agree with Emma

Watson on her take of what needs to be done in terms of gender equality. Watson persuades her

audience using statistics and logical statements, as seen with her data on female oppression and

suggested solution for gender equality.

Emma Watson calls for everyone to take action against gender inequality, using rhetorical

appeals ethos and logos to convince her audience to join her cause. Gender inequality is a

world-wide issue, causing a range of divisions between the two genders including stereotypes,

social stigmas, and generated conflict to the opposing genders. With the help of everyone joining

the cause of HeForShe; men, women, and all the in-between, can enjoy freedom without

segregation nor persecution in a gender inequality-free world.

Reasoning:

I had changed the focus of my essay, adding onto Watson’s argument that everyone would have

to be involved in order for the “HeForShe” project to successfully accomplish its goal. My focus

was not entirely complete and needed more detail added to Watson’s purpose and argument in

her speech to the UN.