Equality Is Easy
Having a twin brother has its ups and downs. Apart from having to constantly share and put up with him, I have experienced the division between girls and boys. I have been told ‘Sophie be a good girl’ when my brother ‘work hard’. I have been asked ‘have you got a boyfriend yet’ instead of my brothers ‘how’s your job going’. I would also like to add; I had a job first. I acknowledge this is not the most terrible collection of events imaginable. It could be worse.
But it’s not ok.
I was being discussed today by a stranger ‘well you can’t expect her to have beauty and brains’. Society trained me to have a certain response. Embarrassed and uncomfortable, laugh it off and accept the compliment that they thought I was pretty. I’m not like that though. I replied with a smile ‘I have both actually’. He was shocked. Shocked I had stood up for myself, and shocked I had actually embarrassed him.
I refuse to succumb to stereotypes and expectations. I invest time in my appearance, but it doesn’t make me vain. I like reality tv shows, but it doesn’t make me dim. I am more unique, more complex and more flawed than you could ever imagine from a glance. So I implore you to put time into understanding people’s complexities. Honestly, I struggle with this. I make snap judgements that I then regret or unkind passing comments about things and people that really don’t concern me. But I recognise that and am trying to improve myself for the better.
Society made the assumption of what being a ‘girl’ should mean. So I changed it.
I am priviledged that this is rare. The inequality I experience is minute compared to that of many. Lives are put in danger, people are restricted and condemned. Necessities such as health care and food are compromised. Human rights ignored and people disregarded because of inequality. This is a problem far greater than just me and I only include my experiences, because I suppose, I experienced them.
Keep your eyes open. I am trying. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be.
And to the man who told me I could only be pretty; I am not only anything.
This was an amazing post to read! I have had my share of comments like that too but didn't know how to react. I just laughed it off too, but I love your new reaction to it. I think I'll try it as well!
ReplyDeletehttp://perlasancheza.blogspot.com/
thank you so much! x
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed it! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! All so true and something that needs to be addressed. As another comment on here said, "amen to that sister!"
ReplyDeleteParis
http://lifeinflorals.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you so much! aha
DeleteThis was very well written! And such an important message.
ReplyDeleteI can entirely relate to what you wrote. Just because I love wearing make up and dressing up everybody is almost shocked when they find out I finished school top of my class. It's really almost inuslting how suprised they are. It's like you said: People think you can only either be pretty OR smart.
And that being girly/ liking girly things equals lower intelligence. And that's a problem with our society.
www.rosegoldheart.blogspot.com
Amazing post! You pointed everything so well! Everyone around is like: equality is today everywhere. But it's not! It's so hard to be a woman.
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