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Julia Hartz: CEO of Billion-dollar Company, Eventbrite

April 14, 2017 / lmachad2 / 33 Comments

You have probably used Eventbrite to find local events or maybe you’ve simply heard of the website, but what you might not know is that the co-founders bootstrapped the company in the first two years and never expected it to become the multi-billion dollar company that it is today. Julia Hartz, Co-founder and now CEO of the company, was featured on Forbes’ 40 Under 40 list in 2015. This is the same list that includes people like Taylor Swift, Jessica Alba, John Oliver, and more. The reason why Eventbrite has become so successful is because they solved a problem in a niche market that made the ticketing experience simpler for buyers and sellers.

“Hartz is also a proponent of fostering happiness in the workplace, and Eventbrite has been named one of the best places to work in the Bay Area.”

Source: Mashable

In addition to the usual Silicon Valley company perks, Hartz ensures that she puts people first and encourages learning, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and a gender balance. For example, Britelings host monthly seminars called BriteCamp, where they teach one another how to program or eat a nutritious diet. Since Hartz prefers learning by doing, she must incorporate this in as many aspects of her business as possible. With all these fun events going on at the company, Hartz says her favorite day of the year is their annual talent show. She is also passionate about helping other women succeed and strives to increase women’s presence in the Silicon Valley tech industry.

“The Eventbrite staff is 45% female and the executive staff is 50% female.”

– Hartz

Hartz says this diversity has grown organically and believes that role models are crucial in order to keep attracting a balanced workforce. Not only does she believe in the importance of role models, but she is successfully leading by example by growing an affluent company and inspiring people along the way. When she thinks about how to build a diverse company, she asks herself these questions:

“Where can I find the best talent? How can I create an inclusive environment to make sure we’re not hiring just people that look like ourselves because of network effect, and referrals?”

– Hartz

This is incredibly important for businesses to consider and apply to their hiring process because it is often easier to hire based on referrals and individuals who are similar to the current employees. However, creating a diverse pool of talented people will allow for more differing ideas to be spread that can grow the business in a way that would not have been possible before.

Hartz prides herself on creating and maintaining the company culture, and she should. The team is growing fast and now employs 500 people. With this large of a team, it is difficult to predict what the future holds. However, Hartz started the company by talking to individuals, gathering their input, and making changes, so she will always do her best to put the people in her organization first.

Sources: How I Made It: Eventbrite co-founder Julia Hartz

44 Female Founders Every Entrepreneur Should Know

Eventbrite CEO Julia Hartz: From 4 Years Bootstrapping to a Billion Dollar Company

Julia Hartz: Twitter

Jaclyn Hill: Feminist Beauty Vlogger

April 14, 2017 / scortez / 36 Comments

Jaclyn Hill has revolutionized the makeup game on YouTube! Standing at a little over 4 million followers on Instagram, Hill has worked hard to become an empowering woman and role model to younger girls. Hill is commonly considered one of the YouTube originals, the YouTubers who started the beauty vlogging movement before it truly took off a few years ago. One glance at the channel, and it’s easy to see why her social media platform of choice has continued to grow each year.

Hill has plenty of experience with makeup, she is a longtime YouTuber, former MAC employee, and the brains behind some of the makeup game’s favorite products. Beyond beauty, she encourages her subscribers to love themselves and often talks about dealing with depression, abusive relationships, and her values as a business owner.

At age 25, she collaborated with BECCA Cosmetics to create a highlighter called Champagne Pop, which had great success and sold out immediately. This caused the company to make it a permanent part of their collection. Now, she has released a full Champagne Pop collection with the company, and she’s working toward the release of her own makeup line later this year. Jaclyn relates to her viewers by discussing previous financial struggles and pledging total honesty with her subscribers.

“We were so poor, our electricity kept shutting off, and I remember crying in front of my fridge because there was nothing in it and we didn’t have any money to buy food,” she relates in one vlog. “But I kept thinking, ‘We just have to hold on and things will get better.'”

Alysa Auriemma mentions in her Bustle article that in addition to bomb makeup tutorials Jaclyn also has been very public about her struggles with anxiety, agoraphobia, panic disorder, and depression—in one video, she discusses visiting a therapist three times a week while also posting makeup videos. “I have worked my ass off to be a happy person,” she says in one video titled “Trying to Make a Change,” in which a makeup-free Jaclyn addresses comment in-fighting on her channel. Jaclyn’s efforts to make her channel about more than just makeup, and her public persona about more than just appearance make her a valuable addition to my subscription box.

Hill has no problem opening up about her former relationships or issues with anxiety on her YouTube channel, but she also commonly opens up about some of her everyday struggles with online hate and personal anxieties via Snapchat. When she does, Hill makes sure to encourage self-care to her #snapchatfam because she loves and appreciates all the support she receives. All in all, Jaclyn Hill is an inspiration to many and is brave for sharing her story with all her followers.

Born This Way Foundation: Empowering Youth & Inspiring Bravery

In previous years, described as eccentric, dramatic and known to make some audience members question everything from her style to her music video story-lines, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta more popularly known as Lady Gaga has always been a topic of discussion.

This Feature Friday post will not be centered around Lady Gaga’s wonderful creativity and uniqueness but instead will focus on the artist’s endless efforts to give back. Lady Gaga’s philanthropic and charity work is predominantly aimed to help at-risk youth struggling through issues involving depression, LGBTQ rights, and homelessness among many others.

It could be said that the creation of the Born This Way Foundation is one of Lady Gaga’s highest achievements. The foundation was started in 2012 alongside her mother and its efforts can be summed up as genuinely caring and progressive focused on providing the youth with tools that will help them succeed in our society.

“Born This Way Foundation is committed to supporting the wellness of young people and empowering them to create a kinder and braver world. To achieve these goals, Born This Way Foundation leverages rigorous academic research and authentic partnerships in order to provide young people with kinder communities, improved mental health resources, and more positive environments – online and offline.”

Lady Gaga has always been a strong advocate of individuality and the search for one’s true self. Gaga’s foundation aims to catalyze the endless potential today’s youth has by providing the resources that will help members with projects and ideas that might not be possible to realize otherwise. Gaga sees the importance of acknowledging that there are obstacles for youth, specifically those who might be oppressed due to their gender, sexuality, beliefs, and economic or social standing.

As a society we wish to see the youth succeed and achieve great things, whether it be in a political, artistic, or social justice realm, but there are times we fail to provide sufficient support for this to be possible. Teens and young adults face a tremendous amount of pressure to contribute to our world from older generations. There are certain situations that can cause their visions or dreams to be put on hold, and in some cases this leads to a great amount of potential being wasted.

There are millions of undiscovered artists, scholars, engineers, lawyers, and any other profession you can think of. Some of them will remain that way due to unfavorable circumstances involving their social environment, living conditions, or economic difficulties. This is exactly what Gaga’s foundation wishes to avoid. The Born This Way Foundation’s efforts have given thousands of young men and women the opportunity to connect with the resources and networks they need in order to share their creativity and brain power with their communities and the rest of the world. The future belongs to the youth, and it is women like Lady Gaga that have a clear understanding of all the positivity that can result from empowering the youth to reach their dreams.

Make sure to visit the foundation’s website for further information on events and more inspiring content!

Kendra Scott—The Empire Builder

April 6, 2017 / mnavarro / 33 Comments

Kendra Scott is a passionate designer, CEO and philanthropist who believes in the power of giving back, a characteristic evident since the start of her career which began with a hat company dedicated to patients of chemotherapy. With true entrepreneurial spirit, Kendra knew that to be successful would require far more than just hats. It was in 2002 that she launched Kendra Scott Design out of her own home in Austin, Texas with a mere $500. Her creative mind and zest for opportunity led her to design her first-ever jewelry collection accented with natural gemstones. This $500 project is now an empire worth an estimated $1 billion. The Kendra Scott brand is globally loved and recognized and any Kendra Scott design is known for its timeless appearance, unique color and quality materials.

How does one build such an empire? Kendra Scott was featured on NPR’s How I Built This. She talks about growing up around her fashionable aunt and being inspired by her closet. This inspiration is what sparked her to launch her hat company, The Hat Box, at a time when her step father was being treated for cancer. Her dream of hats becoming the newest and hottest trend was overridden by reality. After a few years and the loss of her step father to cancer, Kendra closed The Hat Box and swore she’d never enter retail again.

Kendra married in 2000 and had her first son in 2001. The birth of her son is what encouraged Kendra to get back into the fashion industry however she knew she wanted her next venture to have a mission just as important as The Hat Box. Kendra always had a passion for design and it was when she was pregnant she found the ideal market—although clothes and shoes would fit one day and not the next, jewelry was always there to make her feel beautiful. Delving into this idea, she realized beautiful, semiprecious jewelry was unattainable and too pricey for regular folk. She wanted to change that. After a few basic classes in jewelry design, Kendra designed her first collection with tools given to her by her mother and a few hundred dollars worth of supplies. She promised her husband she’d bring home $1000 from her first collection. She took her son door to door with her as she tried to sell her designs to stores in Austin, Texas.

She made $1200 that day with four orders waiting to be produced.

In no time at all, Kendra Scott Design was a profitable company. Her first big break was worth $74, 000. “Fake it till you make it” was Kendra’s motto during this time; no one knew she was working out of her spare bedroom. After more major sales, Kendra was in New York City trying to attain business in a major NYC showroom. Weeks went by following the pitch and she hadn’t heard a thing. One day she received the call saying the showroom wanted to carry her line. The following market season, Kendra Scott jewelry was being carried in Nordstrom.

6 employees and finally an office space later, Kendra decided (in contrast to her famous last words) that the next step would be to open a retail store. At this time, her marriage had ended and she was a single mother to two sons. The support she received from her family gave her the encouragement she needed
to open a brick and mortar store. Today, with more than 19 boutiques and her line available in over 800 stores, it’s safe to say Kendra Scott was made for retail.

Her philanthropy ties back to her designs. She designs certain lines as a way to give back to society (all of which can be found on her blog). Whether its Habitat for Humanity or Girls on the Run, Kendra always manages to give much greater importance to her work. She is the epitome of a true noteworthy woman.

Inspiring Women in Tech: Alaina Percival, CEO, Women Who Code

April 2, 2017 / lmachad2 / 25 Comments

Surprisingly, Alaina Percival, CEO of Women Who Code, did not begin her professional career in the tech industry. Her career actually began in the footwear industry when she worked at Puma running their niche products division. After deciding how important education was to her, she decided to go back to school to earn her MBA at Georgia State University. Then, she worked as a corporate brand manager at a smaller women’s performance shoe company, but later decided that she wanted to live in San Francisco, the major hub of the tech industry.

“It was a struggle because I’d always worked with footwear, but I felt like I needed to switch gears and start over and find my path.”

Taking a risk and changing your career path like Percival did is not easy, and people like her need to be acknowledged more for their bravery and commitment to success in a new field. She started getting involved in the tech industry by joining Women Who Code when it was still in its early phases and she placed herself in positions of leadership after teaching herself how to code. She found that her experience in community development allowed her to successfully organize events and find sponsors, and quickly became passionate about the projects she worked on.

At her day job, she mentions, “I was working with a lot of engineering executives, but fewer than 5 percent of them were women. I saw the experiences and opportunities they had and started bringing those into Women Who Code’s programs. That is where Women Who Code’s mission of inspiring women to excel in their careers was formed and how I knew we could make a difference.”

Percival did not waste any time and within a few months had filed for non-profit status and a trademark. Once she realized how big this organization was becoming, she quit her day job and made Women Who Code the center of her attention.

“The most exciting part is that the Women Who Code leaders whom we are helping empower are women who are dedicated to seeing other women excel. Their influence will impact the industry exponentially,” Percival says.

Percival mentions that she is proud of the influence her organization has had on inspiring women to enter the tech industry, however women are not staying in the industry for long periods of time. She adds that women need to have more mentors in the field so they can develop a sense of belonging and get career planning advise. The goal is not to simply get more women in the tech industry, but to have them stay and become future leaders that are equally represented.

Percival advises everyone to learn at least the basics of coding because it is becoming an integral part of every business. Having these skills will be essential for seeing numbers grow in the amount of women in tech because experience is crucial in the industry.

“Lay out that goal and work toward it; you can always change your mind later,” she says. This is a great piece of advise for young women who are still unsure what they want to do for a career. Percival is a prime example of someone who was not exactly sure what she wanted to do at first, but she made a decision and went for it with hard work, passion, and dedication.

Now, Women Who Code has more than 50,000 members in over 20 countries and has offered over 3,000 free events around the world. The non-profit offers free study groups and career development events, but also provides free and discounted conference tickets and scholarships to its members, totaling $100,000 in 2015.

Percival acknowledged a problem in the tech industry and found a way to help diminish that problem while impacting several lives along the way. She hopes that one day Women Who Code will no longer exist because that means there will be no disparity between men and women in tech and women will be equally represented, especially in positions of leadership.

For more information, visit these articles:

Alaina Percival: Twitter | LinkedIn

Women Who Code: Website | Twitter | Instagram

March 31, 2017

Model Adwoa Aboah is the founder on the Instagram account @gurlstalk which later became a website and is receiving a lot of praise for her posts that are getting girls to talk about feminism. Vogue’s article interviewing Aboah says that using the hashtag #letsgetgurlstalking as a call to arms, Aboah spreads a larger message of honesty and openness for young women, a message she also plans on taking into local schools via an upcoming workshop.

The About Me section on the website states:

“Gurls Talk is a movement that strives to create a platform where girls can openly share their experiences and feelings in a safe and trusting environment. We are working together to create a community of girls from all different backgrounds, looking beyond external differences, and focusing on the essence of what it means to be a girl in the 21st century. We strive to show girls that you are not alone, and that by opening up and sharing your personal stories, you too can discover that many others are going through the same things. Gurls Talk is about working together, empowering, and taking the time to listen…”

By using her platform to boast a freedom of ideals and a breaking with the norms has helped her evolve into a star to follow. She says in her interview with Teen Vogue that her inspiration came from “the women who came into her life when she needed them the most — the women who actually saved her life”. With Gurls Talk Aboah wants to create a space wherein girls can have honest conversations about everything. It’s weekly program to educate girls on mental health and addiction and eating disorders, but instead of it being a lecture coming from a teacher or a woman twice their age, it will be from women these girls can relate to, women who are speaking from experience.

Vice Magazine comments that with 35k Instagram followers and growing, and a website that launch last October, Gurls Talk is the best friend you wish you had growing up, a voice to speak out on body image, feminism, self-perception, and empowerment. Frank, intelligent, and deeply personal, it documents everything from Adwoa’s road to a personal recovery, to calling out the Kardashians for their use of social media (“Between you, you have 45 million followers, and this is what you use your platform for?” she asks incredulously), to insights into inspirational feminist artists and writers such as Gloria Steinem and Lena Dunham, to simple feel-good mantras (‘Be you and be proud’).

The most important message she would like girls to take away from Gurls Talk is, “be vulnerable, be open, and be true to yourself. I found when I was trying to be someone else everything was so much harder. But when I was true to myself, I felt so much freer,” she says, with a wisdom far beyond her years. “Give out positive energy and things will come back to you in ways you can’t even begin to believe.” Last year’s Italian Vogue cover shot by Tim Walker was a huge turning point for the model, who has since starred in advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Roberto Cavalli, and H&M. “The Italian Vogue cover meant so much to me, not so much because I was on the cover,” Adwoa says, “but because I saw a different light in my eyes. There was nothing behind them for so long. I had completely shut away from my family, my friends, my sister, but now my spark is back.”

Vice continues with pointing out that Adwoa’s spark is more than back, it’s dazzling, and the future looks bright for the her. Next year she will make her movie debut, starring in Rupert Sanders’ adaptation of Japanese manga classic Ghost in the Shell, opposite Scarlett Johannson. “It was a dream come true to act alongside Scarlett!” she beams. “She is one of the coolest and most down-to-earth women I’ve ever met.”

“In these turbulent times, an intelligent, passionate, and emotionally attuned role model is exactly what we need. Let’s get girls talking.”

“I call myself a feminist and I’m proud to say that, but I think the modern-day feminist can be anyone. It can be a model on the cover of a magazine, it can be a mother of five, it can be a working woman, a woman who chooses to stay at home, a woman who decides not to shave her armpits in protest—it really can be anyone drawn to the idea of equality. I really think it is about doing things for yourself and not being held back by what society views as appropriate.”

Shakira: The Philanthropist

March 26, 2017 / bzapata / 31 Comments

Many of us know Shakira for her amazing singing and belly dancing skills, but did you know that the Colombian superstar is also a huge advocate and founder of non-profit organizations?

Born in Barranquilla, Colombia in 1977 to a Colombian mother and Lebanese father, Shakira comes from a very multicultural background. She started writing music at an early age, her first album debuted in 1995 and has experienced nothing but success ever since.

Although Shakira is a great singer, songwriter, performer and dancer, it is her involvement in philanthropic work that is truly inspirational.

According to her official website, “Shakira’s humanitarian and advocacy work is focused on universal education and early childhood development, particularly the health, nutrition and stimulation of children who are not yet in school.”

Shakira’s Piez Descalzos foundation is dedicated to bettering the lives of children in Colombia by helping them receive a better education as well as the resources needed for maintaining good nutrition and health standards. The foundation has helped create several schools that all have a set of basic guidelines that aim to improve the overall standard of living of children in need. There is a belief that involving these children in the programs offered at the institutions will contribute to the overall improvement of the general community. According to their website, “more than 10.000 children and 67.000 youths and adults benefited” from their programs.

A second non-profit organization that Shakira is an active member of is the ALAS Foundation, which was started by some of the most recognized Latin American artists, business leaders, and intellectuals. This foundation focuses on early childhood development because they believe that it is one of the most effective ways to fight against poverty.

Lastly, Shakira is a part of UNICEF through her appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador. UNICEF focuses on the rights of children, with an emphasis on providing education for children all across the globe. Shakira has been an ambassador since 2003 and within some of her trips she has lead ” two global fundraising campaigns to help life-saving supplies reach the world’s most impoverished and at-risk children.” (unicef.org)

It is not only impressive but also inspiring to learn that a celebrity as popular as Shakira has such a great involvement in non-profit organizations that focus on children. There are millions of women in our world who are doing great things for the better of their cultures, communities, families, and the rest of the world. We all know we come in all shapes and sizes but so does the manner in which we decide to help and inspire others. Shakira is able to do both, not only through her music but through her humanitarian work. That is something Noteworthy Women applauds and we wish to continue to share the stories of these wonderful women with our readers.

Feature Friday: Misty Copeland

March 24, 2017 / mnavarro / 24 Comments

In a world preoccupied by categories and labels, Misty Copeland shines as a leading example to women around the world to fight stereotypes and define who you are by your own terms.

Copeland made history by becoming the first African American Principal dancer with the renowned American Ballet Theatre (ABT).

(Photo by Henry Leutwyler)

However, this was no easy feat. The story of Copeland’s discovery of dance encompasses immense struggles. Living in a motel room with her five other siblings and single mother, Copeland stumbled upon ballet at the late age of thirteen and instantly fell in love. Her newest passion gave her the voice she never had. However, it was no secret that Copeland didn’t fit the industry’s image of the ideal ballerina. She didn’t fit the mold. “I’m black,” she says, and “I have a large chest, I’m muscular.”

“It’s important for me to set an example of what a healthy image is, what a ballerina can be. That she doesn’t have to be a white woman that is real thin. She could look like the world.”

-Misty Copeland

Influencers like Raven Wilkinson, known as the first African American woman to dance in a major classical ballet company, became Copeland’s motivation and served as a beacon of hope that dreams for an African American to dance professionally were possible.

Copeland knew she could help eradicate the stereotypes asserted to ballerinas as tall, thin, white women and show that with the right work ethic and support group, any dream is possible. Her tenacity and dedication is what has driven Copeland to question the industry’s ideals and change the face of ballet as we know it.

Her rise to fame began with ballet. But Copeland has since become the face of Under Armour‘s “I Will What I Want” campaign with a commercial that has garnered over 9 million views to date and was named on TIME’S 100 for 2015.

In all her endeavors, Copeland brings to life the beauty in diversity and having that shown on stage and in all things. In 2015, Copeland was given the opportunity to debut in “Swan Lake” with the Washington Ballet as Odile/Odette, the leading role. Her partner, Brooklyn Mack, who is also African American played the lead male role of Prince Siegfried. The two entirely uprooted the ideals of one of the most traditional ballets of all time.

“Having two African Americans dancing together seems to provide a fresh take on this classic while challenging traditional notions of what a ballerina and principal male dancer should look like in the classical canon.”- Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre

Copeland’s book Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina is yet another platform used to help motivate other individuals struggling with stereotyping. Additionally, her autobiographic film A Ballerina’s Tale recalls one of the most difficult times in the dancer’s life when she experienced six fractures in her shin and worried she’d never be able to dance again. Her drive to keep fighting was ignited not only by her personal passion, but the realization that she is a role model for all who are fighting for a dream come true.

Follow Copeland on Instagram to keep up-to-date with her latest ventures.

Anne Hathaway on Paid Family Leave

March 12, 2017 / lmachad2 / 46 Comments

On March 8, 2017, Anne Hathaway, UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador, gave a remarkable speech calling to action for paid family leave at the UN Observance of International Women’s Day 2017.

Hathaway begins her speech by recalling childhood memories of her father asking her to point out which direction was North, as a symbol of how her father helped develop her sense of direction at an early age, and now she trusts her ability to “navigate space.” The reason why Hathaway includes this story is to highlight the importance fathers have on their children’s lives. She continues by speaking about her new role as a mother and explains her concerns with balancing her career and being a parent. She adds, “American women are currently entitled to 12 weeks unpaid leave. American men are entitled to nothing.” This presents a problem not only because mothers are expected to go back to their normal lives after 3 months of having a child, it also sets up an expectation for women to be the main caregivers of the household.

“If the practical reality of pregnancy is another mouth to feed in your home, and America is a country where most people are living paycheck to paycheck, how does 12 weeks unpaid leave economically work?”

Hathaway makes an important point here, and adds that for most families, it does not work. She explains that 25% of American women go back to work 2 weeks after giving birth because they can’t afford to take any more time than that. And those that can take the full 12 weeks often don’t because it can mean incurring a “motherhood penalty,” which means they will be perceived as less dedicated to their job and will hurt their ability to earn promotions. She then addresses that that in order to liberate women, we have to liberate men.

She highlights that the stereotype for women to take care of the home and family not only discriminates against women, but also undermines men’s ability to connect with the family and society. We know that when parents do not spend enough time with their children, it has significant effect on the children and the family’s life. It’s not about taking time off work, it’s about parents being able to choose their roles and establishing “new positive cycles of behavior.”

Hathaway’s opinion and call to action on paid parental leave is likely one that many Americans share, but don’t feel like they have a voice that is significant enough to make a difference. Luckily, we have leaders like Hathaway to speak on behalf of women and encourage positive changes to be made.

Many know Hathaway as an award-winning actress, but her role as a UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador has transformed her into an empowering female who advocates for positive change. Her speech focuses on the importance of lightening the burden of mothers and making role parents have in the household more equal and less based on stereotypes. It is important for everyone to share this passion that Hathaway has in order to establish closer bonds within families and eliminate guilt women feel for taking time off work to be a mother. It is also necessary to eliminate the stubborn stereotype that women should be the primary caretaker of the home and allow men to embrace the beauty of fatherhood.

Backlash on Emma Watson’s Vanity Fair Shoot: Feminism or Hypocrisy?

March 8, 2017 / scortez / 4,808 Comments

This week, BuzzFeed posted on its Snapchat story? an article about Emma Watson’s Vanity Fair shoot. While the article focuses on Watson who opens up about her metamorphosis from child star to leading woman, critics were more focused on her breasts and disputed on how a feminist could do such a thing. Was it hypocritical of Watson to reveal herself in such a way? BuzzFeed comments, “Since then, several articled have been published objectifying Watson. The Sun published an article with the headline “Beauty and the breasts.”

The Telegraph writes about Daily Mail columnist Julia Hartley-Brewer who tweeted a picture of the page, writing: “Feminism, feminism… gender wage gap… why oh why am I not taken seriously… feminism… oh, and here are my tits!” According to CNN She later defended her tweet, saying Watson “complains that women are sexualised and then sexualises herself in her own work. Hypocrisy.”

Emma Watson, as featured in the March 2017 issue of Vanity Fair

CREDIT: TIM WALKER/VANITY FAIR

Talking about how important her role is in the upcoming film Beauty and the Beast, Watson emphasized how important the approval of her mother Jacqueline and Gloria Steinem’s is.

“I couldn’t care less if I won an Oscar or not if the movie didn’t say something that I felt was important for people to hear.”

Emma Watson

As we all know about how Watson feels about empowering young girls, the type of backlash she received on her picture featured in the magazine was a bit surprising to the Beauty and the Beast star. Watson later comments to CNN saying, “The more I have spoken about feminism, the more I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. … For the record, feminism by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” On a lighter note, although she received a lot of criticism for her picture, she gained a lot of support as well.

In an interview with Reuters, Watson, responded to the controversy by clarifying the definition of feminism to critics:9

“It just always reveals to me how many misconceptions and what a misunderstanding there is about what feminism is,” she said. “Feminism is about giving women choice. Feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women with. It’s about freedom, it’s about liberation, it’s about equality. I really don’t know what my tits have to do with it.”

So what does Gloria Steinem, arguably the most high-profile feminist, think about this controversy? According to CNN once more,

Steinem laughed at the notion that Watson was a “bad feminist” because she appeared in a revealing photo.

“Feminists can wear anything they f****** want,” Steinem told TMZ. “They should be able to walk down the street nude and be safe.”

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