“Do you think the American people are ready yet to have a First Lady who has strong opinions and an agenda?” Barbara Walters asked Hillary Clinton this question in an interview in 1996, and while today it seems extremely offensive, at the time it was a valid inquiry that represented the views of the time.
We’re lucky. We’ve grown up in a time when, while it is not the most advantageous to be a woman, it is not half as hard as it used to be. Unfortunately, at the same time there is still a long way to go in order to achieve equality. Those who tell you that everyone is equal are wrong. Because if they were right, then I wouldn’t be catcalled while walking along a street with my mom by my side, silently listening to her daughter being objectified. If they were right, my sister wouldn’t have to give a guy my number just to get him to leave her alone. If they were right, every child in the world would be in school for the 12 years of education they deserve. Do not let anyone tell you that everything is fine when it is not.
People often ask me why I’m a feminist, and all I can tell them is because it’s what I’ve always been. I never thought that I couldn’t accomplish or do what the other boys around me were doing. If someone questioned me, I would simply tell them that if he could do it, so could I. As I got older, it became clear that this answer would not suffice and that I had to have better reasons. At the same time, as I got older, I began facing more challenges and issues between the bullying, body-image issues and enforced stereotypes of the perfect woman. While I struggled for a long time about whether I could overcome these issues, I saw a new perspective when my sister focused on international women’s rights for a Girl Scout project. Seeing girls being married off when I was at the park enjoying a day off, I realized that it was my job to stand up and fight for those girls who are not allowed to speak out. They deserved the same rights as I have, and we all deserve the same rights as the men in the world. And that is when I found the sufficient answer. I am a feminist because there are 116 million girls around the world not getting an education. I am a feminist because everyone deserves the chance to change their lives and achieve their dreams. I am a feminist, most importantly, because women can make this world a better place, and will change the world if they are given the opportunities to.
But you stop at this point and say, "What can I do?" Whether you are a woman, child or man, you can start making a difference now by educating yourself and those around you. It’s about taking the time to look at the stories of women and girls around the world who are helping to improve it, but also looking at those who don’t yet have the opportunity to. So start learning. Start educating now.
