Over the years, I have noticed a difference with how girls are taught about their womanhood. Constant movements and slogans have slowly become popularized about how we should see women in our society. Girl power has become a tagline on anything you could think of, from cups to shirts, as much as it has become a slogan for empowerment. Now do not get me wrong, I am not saying that people agreewith these movements, but they definitely have become more accepted and popular within mainstream society.

Subsequently, the way we teach boys about manhood and masculinity very much seems to have stayed the same. The path to achieving manhood still seems to be rooted in a hero going on a path, and once he achieves his goal, he retrieves his prize... which commonly comes in the form of a woman. From old school "heroes" like Mario and Spiderman to modern men like Dom in "The Fate of the Furious."

Growing up with a brother who was only two years older than me, I had firsthand experience as to how womanhood and manhood were instilled on each of us. Moreso, I realized how although my idea of womanhood changed, from having the Barbie Dreamhouse to being allowed to have the G.I. Joe Jeep, meanwhile my brother's concept of masculinity was relatively linear.

Personally, I think that as a society we have to realize that in order for everyone to achieve more equality, we must change how we teach everyone about identity. We can't expect women to be the only ones who change their identity in order for there to be gender equality. We can't only teach girls to be strong and powerful, but also have to teach boys how to be soft and emotional.

I was sitting in class today, and we were reading comments reacting to a video about toxic masculinity, and one comment read "I can't remember the last time I was allowed to cry." That comment alone made my heart sink to the floor, with the realization that it isn't that men don't want to cry, it is that they "can't." It is the idea that if men cry, they lose a part of their identity, that they lose some of their respect within society.

Boys as much as girls should be able to cry. Women as much as men should be considered strong. Girls should be able to be superheroes. Men should be able to tell their friends "I love you."

We have to reconcile our idea of equality and realize that everyone has to change in order for it to happen. We have to teach girls and boys how to be "masculine" and "feminine" and show them that neither is better or worse, but more importantly that neither is attributed to one group over another.

As a society, we are not only failing our daughters, but we are failing our sons.