New to the world of young feminism? Here’s what you can expect
So you’ve become a feminist, congratulations! You’re young, and proud, and ready to take on all that’s been thrown at you. Fantastic, what’s the problem? You’re in high school, and suddenly all too aware of all the subtle nuances that scream, “Gender bias!” Don’t worry, I’ve compiled a list of things you will realize, and a few you might not (and remember, high school is a time when you realize you’re better than the people around you!).
- Your teachers call you “missy” whenever you slightly misbehave, plus “sweetheart,” and “child,” when you’re really testing their patience, an obviously example of them trying to shut you down when you become a problem. If they have a problem with you talking, why don’t they just tell you flat out not to?
- The gym teacher always calls on boys for the demonstrations, regardless of the fact that you are one of the best athletes in the school, and you don’t wheeze when you throw a ball.
- Your foreign language textbooks show doctors, engineers, architects, and scientists as men, and women get to be nurses, secretaries, and other assisting occupations without anyone so much as batting an eye, because obviously all women need is a stapler to keep them occupied/satisfied in life.
- Every time a boy tells his friend he’s acting like a “girl/priss/bitch,” you’re the insult, not the actual thing the friend is doing, and you know you don’t deserve to be measured on the same playing field as a kid who still eats his own boogers.
- Every time you begin a conversation with a dissenting opinion, guys seem to belittle your opinions and tell you to go make them a sandwich. It doesn’t make any sense, and most times they’ve already eaten, and although they should be humiliated for their lack of rebuttal, people laugh at you.
- Similarly, classic “girly” things are useless and boring, but when you have an interest in more stereotypical “male” pastimes, you’re faking it. God forbid you too like comics; the horror of one more person enjoying the same thing as them.
- When you call a guy out on something, he becomes flustered and weird, and claims it’s a joke. Hey, it’s not your fault you don’t appreciate the sweeping statement that women don’t wear makeup for men, and he doesn’t like the fact that he’s not on your mind 24/7; who would have thought?
- You realize the irony when a girl says she only has guy friends because they’re less drama, because have you seen Meninism?
Be awesome, but also understanding. High school is hard, but what’s even worse is thinking you’re above everybody else. Meet new people, and educate them, and keep an open mind. And hey, if that doesn’t work, you’ve got the whole rest of your life to prove them wrong.
PJ writes for her school newspaper, and when feeling creative, writes for her school’s literary magazine. She constantly tries to be engaged, but quickly finds her outlandish acts cause quite a stir, so her peers have only an inkling as to how strange she really is. As a binge reader, she does not discriminate when selecting books, and feminism courses through her veins.
