Even the actress has had to come out in her own defense.
Sticks are falling on Emma Watson everywhere. The actress of the Harry Potter saga joined the #blackouttuesday movement against racism on Tuesday by dyeing her Instagram account black. She did not publish a photo, she published three, but she did not convince too much with her gesture.
They criticize her because the images are not completely black —“those white borders kill me”— and also because she hasn't gotten wet enough —”You have 57.2 million followers and you haven't said a word or shared a petition! You should be ashamed and you even have the courage to post the photos with white lines.
Critics say the borders suggest her “white privilege” and some have even called for her account to be terminated. She doesn't make much sense if you examine her Instagram profile in detail. ALL photos of her have a white border, regardless of whether they are from her personal album, a protest, or a newspaper clipping.
They also don't make sense given Emma Watson's activist resume:
- Goodwill Ambassador for the UN since 2014.
- She participated in the Advisory Council of the G7 summit for equality between men and women in 2019.
- Member of the Time's Up movement against sexual harassment and abuse.
- Actions to promote sustainability in the world of fashion.
- She fights against racism and sexism in this sector.
None of these arguments seem sufficient and the actress has had to come out in defense of her this Wednesday. "I was delaying posting to end #blackouttuesday in the UK," she wrote to justify her previous silence.
Watson published two images after 00:00 British time. The first is a mural by her friend Fahamu Pecou against racism. And the second, a text showing her support in this fight.
“White supremacy is a system of hierarchy and domination, of exploitation and oppression, and it is deeply rooted in society. As a white person, I have benefited from this. But while we think about that and work as individuals to be anti-racist, we need to work harder externally to break down the structural and institutional racism around us.
(...)
I see your anger, sadness and pain. I can't know what this is like to feel, but it doesn't mean I don't try."
