Kiran Branch attended Chime for Change to see Beyonce and co stamp out feminism's stereotypes
Saturday evening saw the who's who of the entertainment industry take to the stage at Twickenham stadium for a musical extravaganza headlined by none other than 'Queen B' herself Beyonce Knowles. Between jaw-dropping performances from the likes of Jennifer Lopez and surprise appearances from Mary J Blige and Jay-Z plus more pyrotechnics and special effects than you could shake a stick at, this was an event like no other.
Famed for her tremendous talent and ability to give the most enthralling of performances, Beyonce exceeded even our highest expectations, performing with more vigour and raw emotion than anybody could have anticipated. It was clear to all that Chime for Change, a campaign founded by Gucci's designer Frida Giannini, Salma Hayek-Pinaulat and Beyonce herself, was a cause very close to her heart.
The event was held to raise money for and awareness of the Chime for Change campaign; a global female empowerment initiative focusing on improving education, health and justice for women around the world.
The concert included appearances from the likes of Salma Hayek-Pinaulat, Madonna, Blake Lively, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Freida Pinto and Zoe Saldana, all of whom highlighted issues ranging from illiteracy and maternal death to domestic violence and sexual abuse. The audience was also shown incredibly powerful clips, between performances, highlighting the harsh reality that many women and children face around the world.
Some of the more harrowing videos and disturbing facts and figures put the spotlight on issues that are often neglected or ignored, and as the crowds departed the stadium jovially singing Beyonce's lyrics 'Who run the world? Girls, girls!' amidst seriously discussing the cause behind Chime for Change it became clear that the glamazon had done exactly what she intended.
Beyonce and her glossy posse had made the first big step in ushering in a new type of 'cool' feminism. Stomping her five inch heels on the cliche of feminists being all bra-burning and man-hating, Beyonce was the perfect example of a hard-working, successful and glamorous woman who believes in empowering other women and endorsing equality.
Kudos, Beyonce: that's one small step for a woman, one giant leap for womankind.
To learn more about the issues affecting women and children globally, as well as the projects to help and how a very small effort can make a huge difference visit www.catapult.org .