Women's sexuality is almost a taboo subject in our society. The majority of people are raised to shy away from this topic, and most of the time even ignore it. Times are changing and we're lucky enough to live in a society that gives us freedom of speech. So here I am using my voice to talk about an important issue. Why is it that women aren't raised to be sexual beings in the way that men are?

Now I don't consider myself a hardcore feminist; however, I do believe in women's rights and empowering women. We deserve the same rights as men to educate ourselves on our bodies wants and needs, without feeling embarrassed or shamed.

Being raised very religious and having a grandfather as a Baptist pastor didn't really make sexuality a topic for dinner conversations. The school systems only teach you so much in health class. So, I was pretty much on my own to educate myself for this one, as most young women are.

Men watching porn and getting off, pretty much goes along with our need to eat. It's become a social norm and people aren't afraid to talk about it. Have you ever stepped into an adult store? Men are like another breed... they can get life-sized dolls shaped like us, but it's a crazy thought that a woman would own a vibrator.

Women read these articles telling them to be bold and to tell a man what they want, well are they suppose to do that without knowing their own bodies wants and needs? Society has raised us to be embarrassed for wanting to explore our bodies and we are shamed if we do so.

Women who are curious are sluts, women who don't give up enough are prudes, and women who reject men are bitches... these words are thrown into our faces for taking ownership of our OWN bodies.

We're raised from such a young age as an object, with marriage driven into our mind and to find a man to please. This mindset comes from the language we grow up hearing. For example, when someone tells us to just stand there and look pretty, our worth is diminished in seconds.

The narration on how women should be raised needs to change.

Songs like "Flawless" written by Beyoncé might just seem like a catchy hit, but the messages behind these lyrics are so important to drive into women's heads.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian author, has a passage in a song that speaks volumes. She says,

"We teach girls to shrink themselves
To make themselves smaller
We say to girls,
'You can have ambition
But not too much
You should aim to be successful
But not too successful
Otherwise you will threaten the man.'
Because I am female
I am expected to aspire to marriage
I am expected to make my life choices
Always keeping in mind that
Marriage is the most important
Now marriage can be a source of
Joy and love and mutual support
But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage
And we don't teach boys the same?
We raise girls to see each other as competitors
Not for jobs or for accomplishments
Which I think can be a good thing
But for the attention of men
We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings
In the way that boys are
Feminist: the person who believes in the social
Political, and economic equality of the sexes."

These words are so powerful and eye-opening. These issues stem from what is repeated over and over to women from when they are just little girls. Then the world wonders why women have issues with self-esteem, self-love, and sexuality.

I've realized that I've only just scratched the very surface of this topic, but we have to start somewhere. Let's make this a more open discussion and stop shaming women for wanting to be normal sexual beings.