by Danica Davidson
The day has come, and nope, we’re not talking ’bout Valentine’s Day! Today we RISE. Why?! One Billion Rising is working to stop violence against women (alarmingly, one in three women will be physically or sexually assaulted during her lifetime) and people from all walks of life (celebs, me, hopefully you, hopefully A BILLION PEOPLE) are coming together for this major campaign.
V-Day (again not Valentine’s Day, y’all!) is a movement to stop violence against women and girls. It was founded by Eve Ensler, who wrote “The Vagina Monologues.” Today, the 15th anniversary of V-Day, is also the day for the One Billion Rising campaign, and we want you join us by helping the rights of women everywhere. Not only will your work make a difference in the lives of women, you’ll be in the company of stars who feel passionate about rising. Check out eight of our faves below.
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Filming a PSA for One Billion Rising, Jessica said, “I am rising because I am a woman. I am a daughter and a mother and the violence has got to stop.” During the election, Jessica also showed her support for women’s rights by writing “equal pay” and “right to choose” onher hands during the “For All” campaign initiative. She’s also been involved with curbing violence by taking part in Demand a Plan’s PSA to end gun violence.
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Anne was recently interviewed in Glamour by none other than Eve Ensler. Talking about why One Billion Rising matters to her, Anne said, “It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that a billion women have been raped or beaten, just the enormity of that. When I was in college, I’d heard that one in four women would be raped, and I thought, God, that means I must know someone who was raped. Sure enough, I found out a week later that a friend had been. A billion is too big because one is too big.”
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Jennifer Lawrence knows a thing or two about powerful women, playing Katniss Everdeen in the “Hunger Games” film triology. But behind a powerful character is a powerful woman! We know that Jennifer is involved with One Billion Rising and she’s all about giving her fans a positive, healthy image of women. She said, “I’m never going to starve myself for a part…I don’t want little girls to be like, ‘Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I’m going to skip dinner.’ That’s something I was really conscious of during training, when you’re trying to get your body to look exactly right. I was trying to get my body to look fit and strong — not thin and underfed.”
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MTV is a proud supporter of One Billion Rising, and “Jersey Shore” cerebral stud Vinny Guadagnino has been Tweeting about the campaign. He gave a shoutout to NBA player Royce White for filming a PSA on why One Billion Rising matters to him, and Royce Tweeted back, “My boy @VINNYGUADAGNINO, lending a hand to @VDay to end the abuse of women & girls. Very cool of you bro, much thanks.” Vinny and Royce also show that this is a campaign for everyone, not just for women.
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Along with being the Chairwoman of Voto Latino, Rosario is a V-Day board member. Talking about why she wanted to get involved with 1BR, the activist said, “I’m rising because of child brides in India. I’m rising because of girls who are getting raped on their way to class. I’m rising because I’m a human. I’m rising because it’s about time.” Rosario has been Tweeting about One Billion Rising for a minute, and we’re ready to join her and see #1BillionRising trend today!
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Since her dad is Lenny Kravitz, it only makes sense for Zoë to use music in her philanthropy. Last fall she stood up for women’s rights by getting involved with Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” PSA. Alongside Sia, Tavi Gevinson and Lena Dunham, Zoë appealed to viewers to vote and made the point that it’s a woman’s decision what happens with her body, not a politician’s or anyone else’s. Now Zoë has endorsed One Billion Rising and is ready to rise up!
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Charlize Theron may have played an evil queen in “Snow White and the Huntsman,” but IRL, she’s a compassionate woman. “I’m rising to stop this kind of violence against women because I really believe that it’s at the core, the thing that will help so many other problems,” she said. “Someone said to me once there’s a cure for world poverty, and it’s called the empowerment of women. So if we can keep women safe and empower them, I think we’ll see a lot of difference.”
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The “Scandal” star is another big Hollywood name who’s endorsed One Billion Rising. We’re not surprised, because when Kerry was really involved with the 2012 election, she often spoke about the importance of women’s rights and voting. Speaking about the election, she said, “We, the people, especially us women, have to make sure our leaders know how we feel, what we think and what we care about. Together, we need to stand up for the kind of America we want — one where women and girls are equal, strong and proud and where we all have a president who has our back.” With One Billion Rising, it’s about letting the leaders across the globe know it’s time to stop violence against women, and bring about the kind of world we want.
http://act.mtv.com/posts/8-celebs-getting-up-for-one-billion-rising/