There is no denying women’s rights have made remarkable progress throughout the past 238 years. Women gained the right to vote in 1920. The United States saw its first female cabinet member in 1933. In 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, making it illegal for employers to pay women less than men for the same work. These are just a few of the major landmark events that have allowed women to progress within American society, but it’s not enough. Despite all the progress that has been made to reduce gender inequality, there are many complications that accompany being a woman in American society.

There comes a moment in time for every young girl when they realize society views them as an object. It might happen when they are at the mall or the movies with their friends and some loud-mouthed, narcissistic, overly-confident perverts whistle at them and call them all sorts of degrading names that I am not at liberty to repeat. In that moment, this naïve, care-free girl’s image of herself is shattered, and she gets this sinking feeling in her stomach, accompanied by a little voice in the back of her mind, telling her that she exists to sit pretty and shut up.

She does not have a right to speak her mind or stand up for herself. She is a resource meant to entertain and satisfy the men around her. This voice gets louder as we get older, and I don’t think it ever completely goes away. This voice loves to lie to us, trick us and convince us we are worthless without men.

Growing up, girls are taught to be suspicious of every stranger, every bystander. We are taught all the tips and tricks to prevent getting raped or killed from the time we are old enough to understand what it means to be assaulted.

Always be aware of your surroundings. When you walk alone, have the number of a friend, family member or even the police ready to dial should something happen. Always let people know where you are. Carry pepper spray. Have your keys in your hand as you walk through a parking garage and waste no time hustling to your car. Many of my friends have koubatons and brass knuckles in their purses. I have had countless conversations with other girls about how we anxiously anticipate our twenty-first birthdays, when we can apply for concealed carry licenses. We are taught that we are fragile, and we will be assaulted if we don’t take the necessary steps to prevent it.

It’s a load of crap that we live in a society that gives women reason to be afraid to take a walk without having a man with them to protect them. It’s infuriating that so many girls are suckered into believing they are dolls who need men to play with them to feel fulfilled. I am sad to think of the day when my own daughters must experience these things for themselves.

So, here is my message to the society with such a skewed view of my gender: I am not unbreakable, but I am not fragile by any means. I have self-image issues, but I will not be objectified. I am not perfect, but I will not be pushed around. You do not own me, and you do not define me.