When I was about 2 years old, my father died. This isn’t a story to gain pity or attention but is one to show that girls are powerful. Ever since that day, it has always been my mom and I. Of course, there were tough times but I thought I was so cool to be able to have girls’ night every night and bond over movies and clothes with my mom constantly. I didn’t realize that when I went to school, she busted her butt at work to make a living. To make me happy. To give me everything and more. She would work 50-plus hours a week in an effort for that next promotion and to continuously grow in her career. My mom is powerful. Women are powerful, and it’s about time we start to notice.

Years later when I became a teenager and started learning all things about puberty and clear mascara, I also learned plenty about the female objectification that goes on. I thought I needed to wear an Abercrombie denim skirt or the boy who sat in front of me in sixth grade wouldn’t think I’m cute. I thought in high school if I didn’t have big boobs than I was going to be a nobody because that’s all advertisements showed me. It was and continues to be everywhere in the media, women are so much more than their bodies and shouldn’t be remembered for that. Taylor Swift, for example, is known for her long legs and Emma Watson is known for being hot. Why is it not mentioned in the media about all of the other things they do? Where is Taylor Swift visiting hospitals? It would be far more inspiring to see the changes they are making in this world than seeing how they put together stylish outfits. These are women that young girls look up to and I don’t want another generation to feel sexualized.

When coming into college, I didn’t think anything of going into Communications and Sociology until I would get subtle looks or remarks from others as a sign of “of course." I don’t care who you are or what you are majoring in, whether you are living in a cardboard box or you make $1 million a year, all women are powerful. I’m tired of being titled by my major and being labeled a typical girl for choosing to not go into engineering. I know girls who have gone into engineering then rocking it and landing internships at Exxon Mobil. Girls can do absolutely anything guys can do.

I would love to be able to use my degree to change these advertisements and to change the way females are looked at through the media. I know I am just one small voice in a giant world, but we are society and we have the ability to change. I am a feminist and I am proud of that fact.