Emma Watson Changes the Game With Her Powerful Speech on Feminism to the U.N.

Last weekend at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, Emma Watson delivered an incredibly passionate speech regarding the controversial topics of feminism and gender roles in our society. But with her recent launch of the “HeForShe” campaign, Ms. Watson doesn’t intend to just talk about feminism but actually begin to take action. 

Her speech attempts to dissolve some of the stereotypes that are often associated with feminism, such as the idea that it is a man hating group that calls for female superiority. She reminds us that the true definition of feminism is the desire, not for superiority, but equality among both genders. She invites the male gender to stand up and join the fight for equality, not just for the sake of women but for the sake of all people. With her development of the “HeForShe” campaign, Ms. Watson hopes to abolish the “us versus them” mentality and bring us all together to fight for a common cause. 

It is a long speech, but I promise you it is worth the time. Her words rendered me speechless and filled me with the hope and confidence that change is coming and that we can all work together to make that change happen.

Click below to watch the incredible, powerful speech that brought a room full of world leaders to their feet:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Man or Woman, Everyone Needs to Read These #YesAllWomen Tweets

Anyone who is a part of the social media world has probably at least heard of the #YesAllWomen tweets. The tweets are trending all over the internet, so they’ve most likely popped up on your Facebook newsfeed or been posted about by your friends. But on the off chance you haven’t yet heard of these tweets or have but haven’t read any of them- I definitely encourage you to do so. 

Sparked by the brutal killings of 6 women and injuries to 13 by Elliot Roger, fueled by his sexual hatred and misogyny, the #YesAllWomen hashtag has gone viral. It’s purpose has been to report or support issues of sexual hatred, fear, harassment, and sexual assault. 

The tweets evoke a whole host of emotions- anger, inspiration, motivation, sadness, determination, support, and more. They are shocking, moving, and most of all eye opening. The subject and sheer number of responses has caused worldwide attention, provoking both support as well as controversy. Whether you are a male or a female, these tweets will undoubtedly speak to you and benefit you. And if you are a parent of either sons or daughters, these tweets can be really important when moving forward teaching your children about respect and equality. 

Here is a list of some if the many tweets I found to be most powerful:

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To read more about the #YesAllWomen movement, visit their FaceBook page

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Today is International Women's Day! But Where Did it All Begin?

Being a woman is a wonderful thing, and deserves to be celebrated. But the history behind how a day dedicated to the awesomeness of women is equally amazing. Countless strong and admirable women worked to get this day to be created, so it is not something to think little of! Be sure to take today to recognize their hard work and think of how lucky we are to be where we are today! 

The first time Women's Day was recognized was in 1909. This was a time of oppression and inequality among women. Events leading up to this included the march across New York City by 15,000 women in 1908 demanding voting rights and better pay. Originally the holiday was celebrated on February 28th, it wasn't until 1913 that it was changed to March. 

It was Clara Zetkin who was the original advocate for an International Women's Day. In 1910 a conference of over 100 women from 17 countries gathered to create the day dedicated to women that has been recognized ever since. 

The next year over one million men and women gathered to advocate women's right to vote, hold public office and putting an end to discrimination. When the tragic Triangle Fire in New York City occurred less than a week later, it increased the amount of attention to the issue of women's rights. 

Since then International Women's Day has only continued to grow in both popularity and significance. Since 1975, March 8th has been the day to women worldwide. Large conferences, parades, and rallies have been held on this day ever since to honor the achievements of women and encourage them to continue to push towards complete equality. 

Since the new millennium International Women's Day has been recognized in countless

countries including Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Russia, Vietnam, Ukraine and more. In certain countries the holiday is even as big as Mother's Day, where the women are given flowers and small presents by their husbands and children.

Women fought so hard to have the rights we have today and each March 8th we honor those accomplishments by celebrating International Women's Day, and the United States continue these celebrations throughout the entire month of March by naming it Women's History Month.