Emma Watson’s powerful speech on behalf of UN Women and her HeForShe campaign inspired Worcester band Peace’s latest single ‘I’m A Girl’, the band has revealed.
Watson delivered the speech last year, with her offering her take on gender inequality and the sexualisation she faced from the media whilst growing out of adolescence in the public eye, due to her role in the Harry Potter series of films. She also tackled the need for the common expectations of masculinity to change, something which resonated with Peace, whose frontman Harry Koisser has stated that he is unable to connect with the stereotypes perpetuated by those who have unshakable ideals when it comes to what they believe a man should/shouldn’t do.
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“Once, I was waiting for someone on Digbeth High Street, wearing a fur coat,” Koisser told NME Magazine. “Two Irish guys came up to me and were like, ‘You’re a queer, come here and let me kick you in your balls.’ So many things you can tell me to come here for and I will, but not that.”
He continued: “I think ‘I’m A Girl’ is a bit regressive, though – I think I was thinking how I used to feel. Now I’ve just learnt to live with it.”
Speaking of harmful gender stereotyping in her UN speech, Watson said: “We don’t often talk about men being imprisoned by gender stereotypes, but I can see that they are, and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural consequence.
“If men don’t have to be aggressive in order to be accepted, women won’t feel compelled to be submissive. If men don’t have to control, women won’t have to be controlled.”
Watch Peace’s video for ‘I’m A Girl’ below:
Photo: Getty Images
