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Being a Young Woman in America

You have to watch your back, never walk alone, and to live in a state of fear wherever you go.

By Makayla RichardsPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Being a woman in today's society means...

  • Avoiding going out at night
  • Always looking over your shoulder when you walk alone
  • Walking in a group because it is safer that way
  • Bundling yourself in as many layers as you can in hopes no one sexualizes you
  • Being scared to go anywhere at night for fear of being harassed or harmed
  • Being the butt end of jokes from men
  • Being shamed for coming forward with harrowing tales of assault and harassment
  • Feeling like you have to explain every decision you make
  • Making less than a man for the same work
  • Looking to an unrealistic image of beauty and perfection and being expected to live up to it
  • Knowing you will be made inferior frequently throughout your life
  • Being told that your only purpose in life is to marry, have children, and please your partner
  • Knowing that no matter what you do, someone is going to think you’re not good enough or you’re not trying hard enough
  • Walking with your keys in your hand as a weapon in case things go bad
  • Checking your backseat and locking your doors the second you get into a car
  • Double and triple checking the locks in your home for fear of an intruder
  • Being quieted when all you want to do is speak out
  • Seeing stories like Mollie Tibbets and being scared to do the things you love to do
  • Feeling like you must always live up to this unachievable standard set by a patriarchal society
  • Having men make decisions about your health and well-being

Being a woman in America is hard and to this day women are being shamed, bullied, accused, assaulted, and so many more things. The recent midterm elections showed women standing their ground and fighting for their rights. In the recent elections, the US saw a surge in elected women officials—women of color, multiple ethnicities, multiple religions, and an increase in young women running for office. In the news, feminism has become such a loaded word that seems to bring about negative connotations and imagery of naked women screaming for all to hear.

Honestly, who cares if that is what some feminists choose to do?! Women are allowed the right to express their feelings however they choose, but not all feminists are the same. Feminism is rooted in the belief that women are no different than men; they are strong, independent, smart, funny, caring, all of the things they want to be. Women can be doctors, astronauts, engineers, teachers, nurses, whatever they want to be. No man has the power to make a woman feel inferior without her consent, kudos to Eleanor Roosevelt a strong woman for that sentiment! Fighting for equality has been an uphill battle long before Susan B. Anthony fought toe and nail for the right to vote and even in the 21st-century women are still seen as lesser than. We are the life-giving, record crushing, fire-breathing badasses that no one seems to give us credit for. Where would all these men be without women? It is time for the world to put women on the pedestal they deserve and start appreciating us for what we are worth and more. Tell your daughters they can do anything, be anything, love whomever they want, and take over the world. Women are standing strong and have been fighting for years. Beyonce said it best, girls run the world. This may be a “man’s world” but fear not, women are coming for that title. We are prepared to kick ass and take names and it’s time the tables turn and women get the chance to say it loud and proud “THE FUTURE IS FEMALE.”

activism
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About the Creator

Makayla Richards

22 year old aspiring writer.

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