MY "FEMINIST" STORY

Me and my mother in December 2015.

             For as long as I can remember, I have loved my grandfather’s saying, “What others do and say and how they act is about them, who 
they are, and where they come from. What we do and say and how we react, is about us, who we are, and where we come from.” However, in 
recent years, it has truly become my mantra.

             During my sophomore year of high school, my mother felt that it was important for me to learn more about my inner-strengths, so she 
encouraged me to take a temperament sorting test. My results concluded that I was a “Gold-Green”, which means that I am organized, 
detail-oriented, self-disciplined, and dependable. I was enlightened when I read about concepts that contribute to my temperament, and I felt
shocked when I read, “You love to serve others by helping them take responsibility and accountability for their actions.” I was baffled that a 
simple test could accurately reveal so much about me, and I began to consider how I could effectively utilize my strengths in my daily life.

            Throughout my junior year of high school, I began to consciously realize that, in many cases throughout society, women were treated 
differently from men. It seemed that society’s message conveyed that women should be ladylike and submissive to the male eye. I wondered 
why women conformed to these standards so that they might be considered adequate by their male counterparts, and this motivated me to 
further explore the subject.

            For me, the concept of feminism has always been simple: it is the idea that men and women should be socially, economically, and 
politically equal. I have not always known the word for it, but I have always identified with it. After hearing Nigerian author Chimamanda 
Ngozi Adichie’s Ted Talk, titled, “We Should All Be Feminists”, I experienced the profound, life-changing revelation that gender inequality is 
not only my problem. It is the problem of every person in our society, even the women and men who wish to succumb to the stereotypes that
have been faced for hundreds of years.

            After spending a considerable amount of time delving into this topic, I have not been able to comprehend this: Why is it that equality is 
such a hard concept for people to grasp? How did we get into a position where we must shift our thoughts and actions in order to simply 
accommodate this idea of equality, of which our very country was founded on? Everyone in this world was born from a woman. Everyone in
this world has blood that flows through their veins. Everyone in this world is guaranteed death in this short life. So, why on Earth do people 
spend so much time minimizing our G-d given rights and opportunities?

            Keeping all of this in mind, for us to make the changes and shifts in which I speak of is easier said than done. As a journalist and activist,
I will continue to engage my strengths and passions to enlighten my audience with integrity and truth. It all comes full circle to my 
temperament... I am analytical, investigative, logical, calm and cool. As I journey through college, I continue to reflect upon where I have come
from, and I am sincerely grateful for the guidance that I have received from the role models surrounding me. As I continue to grow, I look 
forward having more options to learn, be shaped and mentored. 

            With our world’s population being comprised of 52% women, many of us are at a disadvantage, simply because of our gender (Adichie). 
With heartfelt diligence, I will continue to strive towards promoting equality for all women so that we may have the same rights and 
opportunities, regardless of our cultural, political or economic differences.  Otherwise, if half of us are held back, how can any of us truly move
​forward?