As women in 2017 America, we have come such a long way in areas such as women's health, suffrage, and breaking the glass ceiling of careers. Women are pretty much on the same equal playing field as men, though of course there are still issues that need attention. Overall, there's no better time than now to be female.

However, there is also no worse time than now to be female in certain respects, and what I am referring to are the issues that all girls/women deal with on a daily basis that are kept hushed. Disclaimer: I am in no way implying that women's rights haven't progressed as far as they have or that there is still massive oppression of women in America. What I mean by this post is that there are still dangerous and threatening issues that society has yet to attend to regarding women's rights and safety, issues that all women understand completely because we each know what it's like.

So here are 21 aspects of being a female that only other females will understand:

1. When you're not even in high school and catch older men staring at you because your body developed early

This is when you start to be wary of your surroundings, confused as to why your body is attracting so much unwanted attention, and feel safer traveling in groups.

2. When it's a hot day and you decide to take a walk around your neighborhood wearing short shorts, then realizing a man in a car has been following you the whole time and then having to run to the nearest convenience store to call your mom

(This happened to me when I was 15, and to this day it still gives me the chills)

3. When you get hired at your first job because you're told you have a "pretty face" for hosting, and then realize they didn't choose you for your intelligence or qualifications but rather because you "look hot for a 19-year-old."

Yes, this happened to me at my first job and nauseates me to this day.

4. Dealing with male customers making inappropriate sexual remarks at you, and then having the male waitstaff continually grope your ass even after you told them to stop

5. When guys creepily hit on you and won't back down so you have to lie and say you have a boyfriend since that's the only way they'll leave you alone

6. When you're out with your girls and all plan to stick together in a group the entire night because we all know what can happen to girls at parties

7. Wearing a revealing outfit and feeling suddenly vulnerable if you happen to be walking alone somewhere.

Remember girls, it's one hand on the pepper spray in your purse, the other hand gripping your keys.

8. Being catcalled

9. Having your parents forbid you from wearing certain things because they don't want you to be assaulted or raped when you're out

10. Consoling a friend after she's told you that she's been assaulted/raped, and sobbing crying with her knowing there's nothing that you can do to make her pain go away

11. When a guy won't leave you alone at a party so you give your girls the "help me" look and pray they come to your rescue

12. Being constantly told to smile, because heaven forbid a woman is ever serious or feeling down sometimes

13. Being constantly judged based on your sex life.

Honestly, it really shouldn't matter what a woman chooses to sexually, as it does not determine her character or her worth as a human being.

14. Being called a prude for wearing modest clothes

15. Being called a slut for wearing revealing clothes

16. Feeling pressured to wear makeup because you've been told you look unfeminine without it

17. Being told a sexist joke/comment and pretending that it doesn't bother you when in fact you're seething with rage inside

18. Having body hair and feeling pressured to constantly shave it because apparently women are supposed to be living-Barbie dolls and can't reveal that they are, in fact, human mammals (gasp, shocker!)

19. Feeling embarrassed when you have your period and feeling uncomfortable buying sanitary products or being seen with one.

Again, we can't let the world know we're HUMAN F****** BEINGS with physiological needs.

20.Being on the constant edge of worry when it comes to our reproductive rights and safety

21. Having the strength to get through our daily lives and handle all these and more situations.

Because remember ladies, we have the power to move the world.