Girls -by Avalee Fray-McCroskey

Girls. This is not an article about the struggle of being female; it is about change and the power of women. Ever since the video of Emma Watson speaking to the UN about feminism came out, people are looking at feminism in a new light. Feminists are no longer seen as a group of man-hating women with short hair who never shave. Feminism is no longer perceived as a club only women can join. Emma Watson makes a very good point that men can be feminists too. How would feminism spread if only half the world could support it? Feminism is not about women gaining all power and dominating men, it is about equal rights for both men and women.

For the majority of history women have been submissive. They seem to play a smaller role in the world. A woman could do the same thing as a man but only get a portion of the recognition. A female leader is seen as bossy where as a male leader is the boss. A man is neat when a woman is vain, a man is smooth when a woman is a show-off, a man is persuasive when woman is pushy. Somewhere between the ages of 10-12 a girl’s self esteem tends to plummet. We are suddenly being shamed for playing sports or for sticking up for ourselves. We are told that the phrase, “like a girl” is a bad thing. We should be proud for being who we are.

I was raised by strong women and men who never let me feel bad about being a girl. They told me to be strong and help build people up, not tear them down. So this is my challenge for you. Spend a week and try to say only good things about yourself and your fellow humans. Try to stand up straighter. If someone insults you, tell them you are proud and confident in who you are. Do not let people put you down. If you have a friend who is always making you feel bad then take a break and see how you feel when the week is over.