Emma Watson Named World’s ‘Most Outstanding Woman’

Emma Watson has been announced as the “World’s Most Outstanding Woman” by Ask Men. Watson finished top of the list because of her “noble pursuit” to promote and represent feminism.

James Bassil, writing for Ask Men, explained, “Watson is so many incredible things at once — rich, successful, famous, stylish, beautiful, intelligent, personable, kind. And yet, rather than be content with a life of luxury, she’s thrown her back into a serious social issue in an effort to shift the way our society treats women.”

The site added, via Newsmax, “So it’s fitting that the little girl who was cast to play her back in 1999 would grow up to become a woman not so different from the fictional heroine she embodied. The 24-year-old Watson has noble pursuits in mind. Her alignment with the United Nations’ HeForShe campaign has made her the face of feminism right now, and she’s helping change the way men think about women. Now that’s power.”

Ask Men’s 2015 list was amalgamated to celebrate the “beautiful, talented, glamorous and just plain kicka** women who are defining the world we live in.”

Watson topped the list ahead of MMA fighter Ronda Rousey who came in second place, while Kim Kardashian finished in third, singer and pop sensation Taylor Swift was in fourth. The top five was rounded off by Olympic gold medal winning skier Lindsey Vonn.

Watson has managed not to be shackled by her performances in the Harry Potter franchise as Hermione Granger. Instead, she has appeared in a number of thought-provoking films while also using her status to promote and provoke important topics and debates.

This reached a zenith when Watson spoke at the United Nations last September as part of her HeForShe campaign, in an attempt to recruit men and women to speak about women’s rights.

Speaking to the audience, via Entertainment Weekly, Watson recalled, “When I was 8, I was called bossy because I wanted to direct a play we would put on for our parents. I decided that I was a feminist. This seemed uncomplicated to me.”

She continued, “I realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating, women are choosing not to identify as feminists. For the record, feminism by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes.”

[Image via Glamour Paris]