1. To abolish stereotypes about Collegiate Women
You may wonder which stereotypes I am referring to. Stereotypes about young women of the college age vary from being “party girls” who have no moral compass and enjoy sleazing around the local fraternity establishment and getting trashed every night. Collegiate Women deserve to be taken seriously as academic scholars and the future leaders of this country, this is why we as collegiate women need feminism to be respected as intelligent and capable beings.
2. To eliminate the fear of walking alone on campus at night.
Yes, campus rape is prevalent at any university. We as women need to not live in fear of being assaulted anymore than men walking campus. There is a difference between being aware of possible danger and being properly prepared and living in constant fear of being attacked. Campus rape wouldn't be a ominous looming terror if we taught men not to rape instead of teaching women to never be alone after sun down.
3. To have the freedom to pick a major without any gendered stereotypes attached
From fashion design to construction management, any student should be able to pick a major without acknowledging the sexist stereotypes that some majors are "for boys" or "for girls". Men should have the freedom to major in gender studies or interior design if they so please, and women should be encouraged to pursue engineering or construction management or whatever they so desire. The pursuit of dreams should not be limited to picking a major that suits societal gender roles.
4. To be able to enter a planned parenthood without mobs of protestors watching from the sidewalk
College campuses are littered with religious protestors and abortion activists alike. It is not uncommon to have a Planned Parenthood facility protested 365 days a year in college towns where the resources that center provides would be beneficial to women for a variety of reasons. Collegiate women should not have to pick up their contraceptives from the local Planned Parenthood with an audience of abortion activist with offensive signs protesting from the sidewalk.
5. To dress however we choose, and not be told that outfit is "asking for it".
We as women are not "asking for it" unless we are verbally consenting to enter sexual activity. To have the freedom to go jogging or workout in the gym in a sports bra without being judged or objectified is freedom we deserve. To not be cat called when dressed up for a Friday night on the town is freedom we collegiate women deserve. To wear whatever the hell we so choose whether it be a burka, parka, spandex shorts or nipple pasties is freedom we deserve. If you feel confident in an outfit, no matter how "risky" societal may deem it, then you have the right to show that rocking outfit off without being "slut shamed" by other women or objectified by men.
6. To not be ashamed of our Feminist ideals, or our crushing of misogyny.
As a collegiate, being a "feminist" has a negative connotation. No, I am not a "man hater", I am a believer in abolishing gender stereotypes and equality of the genders. I challenge any man to not call them selves a feminist, your mother birthed you from her womb and you believe she should be objectified, suppressed, and living in fear of rape her whole life? If you are a male and not a feminist or bash the term and beliefs, I sincerely hope you never bring a beautiful baby girl into the world one day because you will be exactly the epitome of misogyny she will spend her life fighting against the patriarchy of American societal and cultural values. It should not be heroic or rare for men to advocate for feminist ideals of equalization of the genders, it should be expected.
So dear collegiate men and people everywhere, treat every women as you would your sister or mother, or any other respected women in your life.
One day your daughter will thank you for creating a society where she can be empowered instead of objectified and dream limitless dreams. She will only fill her life with men that resemble her father, full of respect for women and belief in human equality, and wouldn't you want your daughter to pick surround herself with men who respect her? I'm looking at you midnight cat callers.
