Emma Watson has spoken out about assertions that she criticized Beyoncé for having a “conflicted” feminist message back in 2014. The quote was in reference to the singer’s self-titled album, in which Watson was said to have felt confused by the presence of such a strong message of feminism, mixed with a video that had the feeling of a “male voyeuristic experience of her.”
The story came about after the TV presenter Piers Morgan lambasted Watson for being a hypocrite after posing partially topless for Vanity Fair as one of the most vocal young feminists in Hollywood. Since then, Beyoncé’s fans have taken to Instagram and Twitter to denounce the actress.
Watson clearly felt the need to clear up the exaggerated stories about what she actually said and posted the full interview in question to Twitter, with her quotes about Beyoncé highlighted.
I’m quite nervous to bring it up because I haven’t really formulated my own opinions about it,” Watson began.
While she does go on to make the “voyeuristic” comment, she also says she found it “empowering.”
“She does make it clear that she is performing for him and that she wasn’t doing it for a label,” Watson said. “She was doing it for herself and the control that she has directing it and putting it out there. I agree that it is making her sexuality empowering because it is her choice… It’s so inclusive and puts feminism and femininity and female empowerment on such a broad spectrum.”
By Harper’s Bazaar
Poor Emma's got herself into a corner
Well.
That's the end of that then
