How far can sexism go  before it is too far? Is there a way to change the view of gender inequality or do we just leave it be?

One phrase that many college aged girls have been told is that we are only at school to find our "Mrs." degree, instead of discovering our academic capabilities. For those who don't know what the "Mrs." degree is,  it is defined as a term "used to refer to the marriage or engagement of a woman pursuing higher education at a college or university" by the Oxford Dictionary.  My own definition however, would be a young woman attending a college for the sole purpose of finding a husband. 

While it may seem funny on the surface when a joke is made, deep down, I know that it isn't okay that someone would assume that about me. I pride myself on my personal image, my goals and college GPA. Why would I want someone else not to do the same? I know that not everyone thinks the same way I do, which is perfectly okay. MSU Hospitality Business student Emma Rulison is a prime example of someone with the opposite opinion. She has never found herself to be on the receiving end of a sexist joke of any form and doesn't find it prevalent in her life. However, Carolyn Hartmann, a Junior Sigma Sigma Sigma from Lindenwood University says regardless of the use of the word, "bottom line, it's a misconception."

So, what does this say about our society's view on women today? Does it mean that perhaps we as women are still viewed as inferior, even if it isn't in the forefront of our minds? Is it still something to be worried about? For all the struggle women have gone through, one would think this wouldn't be an issue still. I mean, we as a gender have proved time and time again that we don't need a man to survive and make things happen. We can vote, voice our opinions, conduct research and do anything that the male gender can. Yet, women are still sexualized everywhere, and when a man is sexualized, women are viewed as these awful creatures for having impure thoughts. It seems that every magazine, commercial, music video and even our clothing is used to be the starting point for sexism and jokes. But what does our style have to do with our academics and intelligence? 

Females can't walk down the street at night without being catcalled, so how can we expect to get a degree without some form of a sexist rebuttal. Yet, we shouldn't have to get used to this. Women shouldn't have to feel inferior because we are trying to learn and eventually use what we learn in the workforce. Alison Claurcherty, a Junior Delta Phi at Hope College, agreed that when she, "enters the workforce as a woman [she] will have to deal with these types of issues." She even brought up an important concept in our interview where she mentioned that "people don't realize the word feminism means gender equality." So why can't men and women have the freedom of dressing how they want, getting a fantastic education and having the same wages?

When I applied to college, there was no thought of how to snatch the best husband. I applied for the academics and how well it fit me, just the same as any man would have. This issue makes me think about how this could affect my future in the job market. If some people don't take me and my drive for academics seriously, then who will take me seriously in the future while I edit a novel or write? Carolyn Hartmann would agree that the stereotype of women making sandwiches makes her cringe and she finds, "it so outdated and not humorous at all." 

From Emma, Alison and Carolyn as well, I found that the major consensus was that women need equality. While there are many people who feel that sexism goes one way, it would seem the exact opposite. 

How far will sexism go before we see major change? One of the leading arguments is that girls should be able to dress however they want without attracting attention. Some girls even feel a need to, "dress to impress." According to Emma Rulison, the hardest part about this topic for her is that "many girls that are of college age do feel like they have to 'dress slutty' or 'hook up' with guys to make them feel better about themselves. If I am being honest, I used to be one of those girls, but now I am in a serious relationship and feel more special than ever. I do not need to do those things to make me feel happy."  So with that in mind, do we elicit this view of women that we are sexualized objects by feeling the pressure to dress a certain way or do certain things?

Now, I am not writing this for cause of debates and arguments, just to inspire thought. How do you wish to be viewed by the world?