Don't talk to strangers. Don't wear revealing clothes. Don't walk alone at night. Don't take a photo like that. Don't say that out loud. Women are supposed to have manners and poise. Women are supposed to uphold a home and care for their husbands. We, as women, learn from a very young age what it means to survive in this world as a woman. The way in which I live is not in fact living, it is indeed surviving.

Because I'm a woman, I have to look over my shoulder while walking down the street at night. A large percentage of rapists and kidnappers prey on young women because we are "weak." I should not have to be afraid to be alone at the store, walking down the sidewalk, or walking to my car after work. But because I am a woman, I have to.

Because I'm a woman, I have to carry pepper spray on my key ring just in case someone wants to make me their next victim. I am virtually defenseless. I never learned how to fight, because fighting is not lady like. So I spend $10 on a small pepper spray keychain to keep with me at all times, just in case I am attacked because I am a woman.

Because I'm a woman, I am expected to be classy and perfect at every waking moment. "Cross your legs." "Chew with your mouth closed." "Say excuse me." All of these things are pounded into our brains from a very young age. I can tell you right now that my brother was never once told how he should sit at the dinner table, and that's not my mom's fault. It is society's fault.

Because I'm a woman, I am not allowed to be strong. I am viewed as weak and must act as such. I am obviously very emotional because my birth certificate says that I am a female. Society says that my emotions are vulnerable. So if you are speaking to me, please walk on eggshells because you'll never know what might hurt my lady feelings.

Because I'm a woman, my opinion does not matter as much as most. It wouldn't matter if I had a Ph.D. in every single subject known to man. If I had an opinion on something and a man had the opposite opinion, his would always win.

Because I'm a woman, I am expected to marry and have children. We are born with a natural ability to have children. Science is amazing, isn't it? People tilt their heads to the side and ask things like "Are you serious," when I tell them that I want to move to a big city alone after college. It is expected of me to find a man, fall in love, get married and start a family. This is not what I see in my future. Sorry, Mom.

Because I'm a woman, my body is an object. When shopping for clothes, I try to find things that accentuate my greatest physical features, but why? I do this for self-confidence, but anyone would assume that I am doing it to attract the opposite sex. That right there is a huge thing that is wrong with our society. If I do anything to alter my physical appearance it is automatically assumed that I am doing it to be more attractive to men. My confidence is not the first thing that pops into mind, and that is sad.

Because I'm a woman, I will continue to face new obstacles that are specific to my gender for as long as I live.