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Emma Watson's role model is her type 1 diabetic mother

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HeForShe Facebook page

British actress and UN Women Global Goodwill ambassador Emma Watson has stated that her mother, who suffers from type 1 diabetes is her biggest role model in life.

Best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies, the 24 year-old has broadened her focus since the film series came to an end. While she continues to appear in films and on television, Emma has also completed a bachelor's degree in English Literature at Brown University and began campaigning for women's rights.

As the face of gender equality movement HeForShe, Emma participated in a live Facebook chat on the 8th of March to mark International Women’s Day. 

When asked which females in her life had inspired her, Emma had a simple answer - her mother.

“The obvious choice is my own mum. She was a single working mother. She is also a type 1 diabetic so seeing her strength and resilience was really inspiring growing up.”

She went on to explain that her mother played a crucial role in teaching her that her thoughts, opinions and knowledge were far more powerful than her looks:

"I think she instilled in me – particularly in my teenage years when I was feeling insecure and confused about what my purpose was – she really instilled in me that what I was thinking and what I was doing and what I was saying were ultimately infinitely more important than my physical appearance."

This was the first time that she has publicly mentioned her mother's condition.

While Emma did not go into too much detail about it, her highlighting type 1 diabetes through the HeForShe platform will undoubtedly help to spread awareness of the condition.

Watch the Facebook live chat below:


Read more:

10 celebrities with diabetes

A snapshot of diabetes in South Africa

"Let it go" -  a diabetes parody Frozen's theme song

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