Here’s how Emma Watson and J.K. Rowling are taking a stand against inequality
As if we needed another reason to love Emma Watson and J.K. Rowling! Yesterday, these two fierce feminist ladies joined a public petition asking the mayor of London to do something majorly important: honor contributions of British women in history with a statute outside of Parliament.
In an article published yesterday in the UK’s Telegraph, feminist activist Caroline Criado-Perez described how she noticed on a jog through in Central London that absolutely ZERO of the 11 statues in Parliament Square were of women.
She suggested that a statute be included to honor a suffragette, meaning a woman who fought for the right to vote, and that it be installed by February 2018. Her piece ends with a Change.org petition signed by Emma, J.K., the writer Caitlin Moran, the Suffragette screenwriter Abi Morgan and lots of other hugely accomplished women. Their petition, addressed to London’s new mayor, Sadiq Kahn, says:
We have to agree that not acknowledging women’s contributions to politics in society makes them seem invisible. Nearly two years should be PLENTY of time to have this fixed, so get on it, London! And how amazing would it be for the statue to be there in time for the 100 year anniversary of British women being given the right to vote?
Thanks, Emma and J.K., for yet another example of why we still need feminist activism in 2016 and for speaking up about this important issue.