Speaker

The speaker of the “HeForShe Speech” is British actress Emma Watson. She became a renowned actress thanks to the Harry Potter film series, where she played Hermione Granger.

Born in 1990, Watson was 24 years old when she delivered the speech and had been appointed a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador six months before (l. 9). A goodwill ambassador is someone who advocates for a certain cause.

Even before she became a UN Ambassador, Watson was known as a strong activist for women’s rights and a declared feminist: “I decided I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me.” (ll. 29-30)

Her speech was delivered at the launch of the UN Women HeForShe campaign which calls for men to promote gender equality.

Consequently, we can say that Emma Watson’s background as a declared feminist and activist and her appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador make her a credible sender in the context (circumstances) of the speech. The fact that she has gained this prestigious position suggests that she is considered trustworthy and credible by a wide range of people and organisations.

Within the speech, Watson builds ethos (trust) and establishes herself as a reliable speaker by reminding readers who she is and...