As the fragmented Arabic-English came to a crescendo of sound, I began to fill up with anger and self-doubt. How could a complete stranger have such power over me? I was winded; I felt the the jerk of the taxi as it halted: one, two, three times. I remember he told me not to speak. He said, They won’t listen to you."

My adrenaline kicked in as I fumbled out of the vehicle. I could almost hear my heightened pulse. Trying to gather myself, I felt them examine me from top to bottom. They huddled, and I was immediately ostracized.

Their conversations went on as if nothing had happened, as if everything was ordinary. Barely making it out alive, I began to confront the man whose car almost ended my life and who completely disregarded the whole scenario.

"You could have killed me!" I yelled. The man immediately arched his back and stormed towards me - an attempt at intimidation. He looked me in the eye, leaning in, and screamed, "You cannot talk me like that, you are a woman!"

I had always heard of sexism, especially living in the United Arab Emirates, but I had never witnessed it firsthand until that night. The unperturbed reaction of everyone after the man’s response - including the male police officer - broke my heart.

I belong to a community of women: women who are paid less for higher marks in the same profession, women who are objectified for their appearance, women who are generalized as image-obsessed and rage-induced.

I cannot walk downtown at 10:00 p.m. alone without being fearful for my well-being. I would love to be able to succeed in the profession of my dreams whilst being paid what I deserve, but I realize it is not as simple for someone like me - a woman.

Living in a family of all women, and having a single, full-time working mother as my primary role model, I have learned that success is directly proportional to the amount of effort and time spent working towards a specific goal. Breaking gender boundaries and stereotypes each day, she continues to advance in a world which is, at times, accepting of her gender and her aspirations.

Women experience incessant internal battles as they enter a profession, or a store, or an interview - being immediately labeled as what they appear to be. The modern-day patriarchal society we live in has attempted to indoctrinate us into thinking that women are inferior through physicality and mentality. This has been going on for far too long.

No matter the vocation, I will continue to prove stereotypes wrong with my determination, and hope for a better future - where women should not feel ashamed or shunned for who they are or what they want to become.