We are entering an era where being different is something to be celebrated. A larger conversation continues to rise about the need of acceptance among all different cultures, races, and genders.
Some major companies have started to realize the importance for self-empowerment and have released campaigns that celebrate people’s differences. Recent campaigns have targeted women and their insecurities. There is so much pressure in society on how women should look, and what they should think, that we forget that they are just people. As college students, it can be hard to balance who we want to be and what other people expect of us. It is so important to take this time to figure out the people we truly want to be.
The Dove “Real Sketches” Campaign, reminds us that sometimes our worst enemy is ourselves. If we want to create a space where acceptance reigns, we have to start by seeing ourselves in a different, and better, light. We need to learn to accept and love who we are and what we look like because at the end of the day there is only one of us.
Stereotypes form part of a larger issue that we face in society. It categorizes people into boxes where they lose their individualities. These forms of speech need to disappear from our every day vocabulary. Campaigns such as “#LikeAGirl” highlight the power words can have. Being a female should not be something that girls are embarrassed about. Using the term “like a girl” should not mean that the person is acting in a dramatic or silly way. Capabilities have no gender, and I think it is time that we start to realize that women have the same abilities as men. Gender equality is on the rise. According to a study done by UNICEF, “It is estimated that women perform two-thirds of the world’s work, yet they only earn one-tenth of the income, and own less than one percent of the world’s property.” It is time to recognize the work women do and realize that it is just as important as the one men do.
Although I love that the movement towards empowering women has continued to rise, I am still searching for the male empowering conversations to start. I feel that as women, we are starting a great platform that continues to develop where we can express how we feel and find support in one another. Males, on the other hand, are not receiving as much attention. As we work towards eliminating prejudices and stereotypes, I think it is important that males also join the conversation. They are also under scrutiny and held to certain standards on how they should look and the kind of life they should lead. Many males out there also have body images issues and insecurities that they might feel have no place to talk about. Creating a safe space to start conversation is key for advancement in society.
The key to start change includes appreciating and cherishing all of our differences, no matter age, race, gender, or culture. The following video was a project done by the website “Upworthy” and it highlights how we are all not so difference on the inside as we thought.
By no means are we close to solving all of these issues. Male and women continue to objectify one another each day, but by starting the conversation, I hope that we can all take those beginning steps towards change. Join the conversation today. We are all in this together.
