An Open Letter To People Who Have Issues With Equality

Every now and then, my Facebook feed shows me a post by someone that has an issue with gay marriage, or the fact that Americans are starting to get speak up about the fact that racism is incredibly present in the year 2015. And every now and then, someone has a smart remark about feminism and how women belong in the kitchen where they should be making you a sandwich.

If you are one of those people, I have something to say to you.

To the person who argues against marriage equality,

Stop making this about you. Yes, traditionally, marriage has been between a woman and a man. But that “tradition” is in the past for a reason. We are a new generation of people who want to love whoever they want, and as human beings, we should be able to love whoever we want. Imagine if the tables were turned, and gay marriage was traditional. You would want to be able to marry the man or woman of your dreams, wouldn’t you? But religion and the government and tons of people have the nerve to tell you that marriage between a man and a woman is not natural. How would you feel then?

To the person who makes ignorant comments about racism/the Confederate flag/ etc.:

Stop making this about you. Chances are, you are a white male, or female if you are making these comments. You, yourself, have most likely never been judged because of the color of your skin. You have probably not been targeted, because you live in America. America, the country that is supposed to be the land of free and equality for all peoples. Newsflash: as a new citizen of South Carolina, I can tell you that before the shooting at Charleston, someone found the Confederate flag offensive. I may be white, but I am well-rounded and understand what that flag meant to African American citizens before AND after the media and current events brought attention to it. If that flag was a reminder of injustice to the white man, it would have been removed long before now.

To the person who dismisses equality for women:

Stop making this about you. Women are not just here to make babies. In fact, more and more women put their career before finding a husband or starting a family. Here's something that is even MORE shocking: more and more men are becoming stay at home dads. WHAT?! And why shouldn’t they? Women work hard to be independent, just like men. Is it fair that some women earn less money then men while doing the same job? Absolutely not. Is it funny to use the word “girl” as an insult? Not at all. Do different body parts mean that one is better than the other? No. Men and women work together to change the world every day. In fact, many men ARE feminists.Imagine someone telling your sister, your future daughter, or your mother that they weren't good enough simply because of their gender. Women are every bit deserving of equality, just ask your mom. Or maybe don’t ask her, after all, she is a girl.

Every day we take steps to move into a better future for the human race. However, the steps are slow and small. Maybe this will help you to understand the direction in which we are moving.

Sincerely,

Sydney