How gender equality benefits everyone

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Reviewer: Marisa Aubin Can you raise your hand

if you consider yourself a feminist? Thank you. I met this little girl

who was in the 5th grade, and found out something very interesting

about her that opened my mind. She likes playing soccer. And I don't know if she's good or not, but just the fact

that she likes playing it makes me feel like she's accomplishing

something great for herself. However, even though she loves soccer, she doesn't play it at school because

she's scared of losing all of her friends. After all, she's a girl, soccer's

for boys. Girls can't play soccer. I also heard about this little boy

who was in the library of his school, and chose a book with a pink cover

about a princess. When he was observing which type

of books his friends were getting, he rapidly put the book back on the shelf and got a book about a superhero. He thought that if his friends saw him

getting that "girly book" he would be bullied and teased

in front of everybody. After all, he is a boy. Pink books

are for girls. Boys can't read pink books. I am a feminist. This is a statement

that may be shocking for many of you, but that is probably because you may

not know what feminism really is. Feminism is often seen

as a rebellion against men. Feminists are men haters, aggressive, isolated,

unattractive women with hairy armpits. My goal today is to change

this mistaken idea of feminism that you may have, and that I once had. I remember being in a classroom

with 30 students. We were in a circle able to see

everybody's face, when the teacher asked, "Can you raise your hand

if you consider yourself a feminist?" I didn't raise my hand. No one did. Yes, I was in favor of gender equality. Yes, I got mad when men and women

were made to do things just because of their gender, but at the time I was thinking, "I'm not a feminist, I shave my armpits." I was scared of the word feminism. I did not know its meaning, I just knew whatever it was,

it wasn't me. But I was wrong. In many places, Feminism is defined as the belief that men and women should

have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of political, economic,

and social equality between the sexes. This may mean something different

for everyone, but for me, it just means that everybody

should deserve respect. As Malala Yousafzai, a 19-year-old Pakistani activist

for female education, once said, "Feminism is just another

word for equality." So the truth is that everybody

can be a feminist, women and men. Your physical appearance, interests,

behaviors, armpits, none of these things can stop you

from being in favor of equality. Many still ignorantly affirm that our

society is not sexist anymore, but how can they say that when even common expressions

carry sexist implications? I would like you think

about two expressions that you have probably

already heard before, "act like a girl," and "act like a man." When people say "act like a girl,"

"act like a lady," to you, a woman, they often mean that you have to be sweet,

delicate, beautiful, passive, weak, irrational, submissive. When they say to you, men,

that you're "acting like a girl," they often mean that you're overreacting

to something, being too sensitive about a subject,

being dumb, being stupid. When people say,

"act like a man," "man up," they often mean you have to be rational,

strong, powerful, successful, and create order and rules. Feminism is needed because women

can't wear anything they want without being scared of being raped, as if the clothes they wear were the cause

of their physical and mental aggression, as if they were provoking

their own assault by wearing the things they want to wear. Feminism is needed because boys who

don't do "boy things," who want to play with

dolls instead of cars, who want to wear pink clothes

instead of blue ones, are bullied. Feminism is needed because women

who don't shave are considered less woman, as if hair wasn't something natural

from our human bodies. Feminism is needed women are paid

less than man for the same job position

in so many places. Feminism is needed because we still

have meanings for "act like a girl" and "act like a man." Feminism is needed

because girls can't play soccer. Boys can't read pink books. As we can see, our lovely

sexist society still exists, and we should all deserve fair treatment. You may be asking, but what can we do

to fight sexism? In my opinion, I believe that education

and information are the remedy for any type of ignorance, so gender equality should be something

that every school should talk about. Having simple discussions about

the sexist society we live in, or even analyzing how men and women

are portrayed in media can be very powerful to open the minds of those who don't realise how bad

our current situation is and show them how much we can do

to change it. In Australia, some high schools are

officializing feminism theory as an elective course. All around the world, students and teachers are

starting Feminist Clubs in their schools. I dream about the day we will look

back and think, "but why do we have to teach kids

about gender equality in schools?" because everybody will be given

the same rights. But for now, this is a step

in the right direction. But also, as we know, education

doesn't come only from schools. Open-minded families that

accept their children to choose what they want to play or read

are needed. We need parents to educate their children to not assault, to not bully,

and to be tolerant. Simple things like this, or even working

to stop speaking with sexist expressions, are a huge step toward a better society. So yes, I am a feminist. I am a feminist because this is a movement

for so much more than just me. We need everybody involved with this,

so feminism starts with you. And I truly believe that we can do this. Thank you very much.