( CNN ) -- A 15-year-old British schoolboy has struck a chord with his eloquent response to actress Emma Watson 's United Nations speech encouraging men to join in the fight for gender equality . Ed Holtom 's letter , published in the Sunday Telegraph , was praised on social media for demonstrating an understanding of gender issues that many adults today do n't fully comprehend . `` If we want equality , it will take more effort than paying women the same as men , or giving women equal opportunities , '' he wrote in his letter supporting Watson . `` We must stop pressuring each other to fit stereotypes which more often than not leaves us feeling repressed and unable to express ourselves . We must not let gender define us . '' A student at St. Albans , an all-boy 's school in Hertfordshire outside London , Holtom said that boys and girls are unwittingly steered into confining gender roles . `` By using words such as 'girly ' or 'manly ' we inadvertently buy into gender stereotyping , '' he wrote in the letter . `` We play with toys designed for our gender , we play different sports based on gender , we often go to segregated schools . '' Holtom 's letter was republished by a handful of news sites and quickly gained traction on social media , where many commenters praised his views as unusually thoughtful for someone his age . Nicholas Pegg , a British actor and writer , called the letter `` magnificent '' and posted a link to it on Twitter . Actor-director Samuel West wrote on Twitter that Holtom `` writes the sort of letter you want to read from today 's schoolboys , and tomorrow 's men . '' Reached Monday via Twitter , Holtom told CNN he is heartened by the response to his words . `` My life has n't really changed - at the moment things are pretty normal , apart from people giving such great support in response to the letter , '' he said . `` Emma has n't responded , she does n't have to . I did n't write it for attention , I just wanted people to know I how I felt . '' Watson 's impassioned speech , delivered September 20 as part of her role as a goodwill ambassador for UN Women , drew attention for her remarks about the need for equality and for men to embrace feminism . It also prompted a minor backlash , including a threat to leak alleged nude photos of the star . The threat was later revealed to be a hoax . `` Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive . Both men and women should feel free to be strong , '' Watson told the UN . `` It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum not as two opposing sets of ideals . '' In his letter to the Telegraph , Holtom said he agreed with everything Watson said and supports equal rights for women . `` We 're lucky to live in a Western world where women can speak out against stereotypes . It 's a privilege . Gender equality and feminism is not about 'man-hating ' or the idea of 'female supremacy . ' It is , by definition , the opposite , '' he wrote . `` The definition of feminism is , ' a person who believes in the social , political and economic equality of the sexes . ' It 's pretty simple really , and if you believe in those things , then you 're a feminist . '' Holtom also wrote in his letter that he was `` disappointed '' by how ignorant some of his classmates were about the gender issues Watson raised in her speech . But in a Twitter message Monday to CNN , he said he had n't encountered many hard feelings so far from schoolmates . `` My classmates have reacted pretty well , it was n't really about anyone in particular - but I understand that some people could have misinterpreted it , '' he said . `` Overall , everyone I know has been really nice and supportive , it 's great that so many people agree . : ) '' .
Schoolboy in UK writes letter defending Emma Smith 's speech at the conference . Letter went viral after being published in London newspaper . Ed Holtom : ` ` We 're lucky to live in a Western country where we can speak out ''