Hello,

Happy Women’s History Month! As a young woman myself, I am pretty happy with the ever-growing attention that this month is being given. We live in an age and place where sexism is openly discussed and a world-famous celebrity gave a performance with the definition of the word feminist blazing across the stage. We–particularly those of us who live in the United States–are lucky.

But these social advances do not mean that there is no work left to be done. America is one of the only countries in the world that does not provide paid maternity leave to all workers. White women get paid seventy-seven cents for every dollar a man makes, and women of color receive even less. Women have to work longer than men do to receive the same promotions. The deeper implications behind these phenomena are that women are structurally taught not to engage in debate, even about something that directly concerns us. We are “bossy” when we raise our voices and take control.

When I go to college next year, I will have to carry something in my bag that helps ward off attackers, because I am at risk of becoming one of the 25% of college women who are sexually assaulted in their academic careers. I, and many of my friends, will need to keep my drink covered in bars so that someone does not slip a date-rape drug into my glass. And the worst part of situations like these? They are just part of everyday life; women are expected to factor the possibility of being raped into their daily planning.

As students attending an American private school, these realities may seem far off, which is understandable. But misogyny is present throughout our daily lives, and even a small group of committed people can make a difference. There are a bounty of charities and organizations across that globe that would benefit from your donations, such as RAINN (https://rainn.org/) and Equality Now (http://www.equalitynow.org/). Even something as small as changing your vocabulary will alter perceptions about women. Gendered slurs impact our general consciousness and make it so that a man can be congratulated about certain things while a woman is slut-shamed for the same behavior.

This month, make an effort to celebrate women, both famous and familiar. Celebrate our accomplishments, our passion, our love, what makes us human, because we, too, are human beings. And then think about what you can do to make the world a safer, more just place for all women. And, no, I’m not being bossy in telling you this.

I’m being a boss.

Cassidy