Photo by hannah grace on Unsplash
Dear Me,
I know that at a young age, you’re not going to know what you want to do in life. You’re living life by each minute; running, playing, and meeting new people. Hold onto these memories because they will be the most simplistic memories you will have. You’re not prepared for the future, but here we have a thing called sexism. It sounds scary and it is, but you and a million of girls like you will grow up and become some of the leaders in a fight against it. Sexism is “prejudice, stereotyping or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.” But, in time, you will tell that women have far more to worry about than you think.
Currently, there is a 20 percent wage gap between men and women. Women are currently advocating for equal rights of pay, but at the rate we are going, it will take more than 30 years for us to get there. Not only is there a discrimination against women, but women who are of color, meaning they are not white, are more likely to deal with sexism. This does not mean you are incapable of pushing past this. You are strong. You are beautiful. You are intelligent. Nothing can stop you from being successful besides yourself.
International Women’s Day happens every year. In 2018, International Women’s Day landed on Thursday, March 8th. Women, all over the world, are celebrating by speaking their mind. You, too, will speak your mind in the future. For now, just continue doing what you’re doing. Live freely and without worry, because the women who came before you are working to make your life better. When you get to a certain age, you, too, will advocate for the younger generations of women to come, so they can have it better than you did. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are incapable of the things you want to accomplish. You can do anything if you put your heart into it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to look a certain way to be beautiful, you are already are. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’ll never amount to the intelligence the men around you have, you are just as good as them, and can be better. Remember: you are strong, you are beautiful, and you are intelligent.
Forever love,
Your Future Self
Photo by Alexa Mazzarello on Unsplash