Boy writes inspiring letter about Emma Watson

This letter written by a 15-year old boy, Ed Holtom, coming to Emma Watson's defence is gold.

The fact that he had to defend her in the first place is proof of how much still has to be done in the area of (non) equal rights but, more inspiringly, just how effective Emma's plea was. (see letter below) 

I know first hand how skewed the social norms of male/female views are in our own country. 

It is an imperative of mine that my little girl is afforded all the rights which men enjoy. We aren't even aware half the time of the sexual stereotypes which we instil in our children.

Cowboys don't cry.... but girls do.

Boys go adventuring.....girls must play with dolls indoors.

Boys protect.....girls serve.

I have tried very hard as a Dad to give my daughter as much of an advantage in a male centric, and abhorrently patriarchal society, as possible.

In her formative years I made a concerted effort to blur the lines between what is "socially acceptable" with regards what only boys do and what only girls do.

To the chagrin of my extended family - I always made sure that Santa always put a toy truck or a bow and arrow in her stocking. I bought clothes that weren't only pink and frilly. I encouraged her to climb trees, jump in puddles, make mud pies and wrestle with her Daddy.

This worked until she went to school.  Almost overnight the peer pressure from all the other girls had her exchange her trucks for Alice-bands.

She would rather put sparkly bows in her hair than climb a tree. There is only so much I can do as a parent - society has got to come to the party too.

When it's just the two of us, safely in the bottom of my garden - away from the ever judging neighbours or the criticising family or our unforgiving society -  we climb the trees and jump in puddles, play soccer, slay dragons and fly paper planes...

Emma Watson and I just want to make the bottom of my garden a little bigger, and with any luck - maybe one day.....as big as the world!!

Ed Holtom’s thoughts on feminism are getting a lot of Twitter love!

Here is the letter, published in Sunday Telegraph 

 

A magnificent letter in the Telegraph from 15-year-old @EdHoltom. pic.twitter.com/68Bzkq0GhB

— Nicholas Pegg (@NicholasPegg) September 28, 2014