my name is Morgan Levine and I’m here to talk about a topic that many fear
talk about a topic that many fear
talk about a topic that many fear feminism people look at the word
feminism people look at the word
feminism people look at the word feminism and in many cases misinterpret
feminism and in many cases misinterpret
feminism and in many cases misinterpret its meaning feminism is not the belief
its meaning feminism is not the belief
its meaning feminism is not the belief that women are better than men that
that women are better than men that
that women are better than men that women should be prioritised over men or
women should be prioritised over men or
women should be prioritised over men or even that the movement is entirely women
even that the movement is entirely women
even that the movement is entirely women feminism is the fight to just be equal
feminism is the fight to just be equal
feminism is the fight to just be equal to have equal say and opportunity
feminism is the fight to just bond off
feminism is the fight to just bond off of our similarities not our differences
of our similarities not our differences
of our similarities not our differences mana my big role models Patsy Mink
mana my big role models Patsy Mink
mana my big role models Patsy Mink and the many amazing women that fought
and the many amazing women that fought
and the many amazing women that fought alongside her fought to give girls equal
alongside her fought to give girls equal
alongside her fought to give girls equal opportunities and sports although I am
opportunities and sports although I am
opportunities and sports although I am so grateful for all that they did they
so grateful for all that they did they
so grateful for all that they did they did not finish still today girls are not
did not finish still today girls are not
did not finish still today girls are not equal to boys and sports they are still
equal to boys and sports they are still
equal to boys and sports they are still looked at to be inferior athletes but
looked at to be inferior athletes but
looked at to be inferior athletes but they are not this past swim season I was
they are not this past swim season I was
they are not this past swim season I was one of the few girls from my team who
one of the few girls from my team who
one of the few girls from my team who qualified for the state championship
qualified for the state championship
qualified for the state championship meet but at this point it was also the
meet but at this point it was also the
meet but at this point it was also the boys swim season at the end of practice
boys swim season at the end of practice
boys swim season at the end of practice we usually do Sprint’s off the block but
we usually do Sprint’s off the block but
we usually do Sprint’s off the block but when I stepped up behind the block the
when I stepped up behind the block the
when I stepped up behind the block the boys all had seemed to have a look of
boys all had seemed to have a look of
boys all had seemed to have a look of confusion they told me that I could not
confusion they told me that I could not
confusion they told me that I could not raise them that they would beat me and
raise them that they would beat me and
raise them that they would beat me and that the race would it be fair who were
that the race would it be fair who were
that the race would it be fair who were they to tell me who I could and could
they to tell me who I could and could
they to tell me who I could and could not race and what I could and could not
not race and what I could and could not
not race and what I could and could not do I believe that these were assumptions
do I believe that these were assumptions
do I believe that these were assumptions based upon my gender when they had told
based upon my gender when they had told
based upon my gender when they had told me that I could not raise them I could I
me that I could not raise them I could I
me that I could not raise them I could I continued to step up to the block and
continued to step up to the block and
continued to step up to the block and put on my goggles I was not going to let
put on my goggles I was not going to let
put on my goggles I was not going to let them define what I could do and define
them define what I could do and define
them define what I could do and define my self-worth I went one of the fastest
my self-worth I went one of the fastest
my self-worth I went one of the fastest times that season and I proved to
times that season and I proved to
times that season and I proved to everyone around me that I had what it
everyone around me that I had what it
everyone around me that I had what it took and that I would not be pushed out
took and that I would not be pushed out
took and that I would not be pushed out of the way to me the block symbolizes
of the way to me the block symbolizes
of the way to me the block symbolizes the unknown until you step up to the
the unknown until you step up to the
the unknown until you step up to the block you will never know how much you
block you will never know how much you
block you will never know how much you can achieve
can achieve
can achieve you have to look at the block as your
you have to look at the block as your
you have to look at the block as your opportunity I stepped up to the block
opportunity I stepped up to the block
opportunity I stepped up to the block looking at the unknown and looking at
looking at the unknown and looking at
looking at the unknown and looking at the block as my chance to prove myself
the block as my chance to prove myself
the block as my chance to prove myself how can you chase success and your
how can you chase success and your
how can you chase success and your dreams if you do not look at the block
dreams if you do not look at the block
dreams if you do not look at the block as your one opportunity your one chance
as your one opportunity your one chance
as your one opportunity your one chance to prove to everyone that they are wrong
to prove to everyone that they are wrong
to prove to everyone that they are wrong success does not come without testing
success does not come without testing
success does not come without testing the unknown and finding your limits the
the unknown and finding your limits the
the unknown and finding your limits the water is your insecurities you just have
water is your insecurities you just have
water is your insecurities you just have to dive in at first it will scare you
to dive in at first it will scare you
to dive in at first it will scare you but you will not see your true beauty
but you will not see your true beauty
but you will not see your true beauty and your self-worth until you take that
and your self-worth until you take that
and your self-worth until you take that leap of faith you will not always win
leap of faith you will not always win
leap of faith you will not always win that is inevitable but until you take
that is inevitable but until you take
that is inevitable but until you take that leap and take that chance you will
that leap and take that chance you will
that leap and take that chance you will always be the inferior you will only be
always be the inferior you will only be
always be the inferior you will only be as good as the crowd that you are
as good as the crowd that you are
as good as the crowd that you are standing in yes I did not be all of the
standing in yes I did not be all of the
standing in yes I did not be all of the boys in that pool that day but I beat
boys in that pool that day but I beat
boys in that pool that day but I beat some of them and I showed that I was not
some of them and I showed that I was not
some of them and I showed that I was not afraid to test my limits you want for
afraid to test my limits you want for
afraid to test my limits you want for success as I said has to be greater than
success as I said has to be greater than
success as I said has to be greater than your fear of failure many girls are
your fear of failure many girls are
your fear of failure many girls are afraid to step up to the block and dive
afraid to step up to the block and dive
afraid to step up to the block and dive in well what I have to tell you is don’t
in well what I have to tell you is don’t
in well what I have to tell you is don’t don’t stand down don’t go quietly you
don’t stand down don’t go quietly you
don’t stand down don’t go quietly you have to speak up and stand out you have
have to speak up and stand out you have
have to speak up and stand out you have the power to be the change that you want
the power to be the change that you want
the power to be the change that you want to see in the world it is time for you
to see in the world it is time for you
to see in the world it is time for you to reach out and take it in the
to reach out and take it in the
to reach out and take it in the beginning I referred to feminism as a
beginning I referred to feminism as a
beginning I referred to feminism as a topic that many fear I believe that it
topic that many fear I believe that it
topic that many fear I believe that it is time to change that feminism should
is time to change that feminism should
is time to change that feminism should be talked about because the more that
be talked about because the more that
be talked about because the more that you talk to each other the more people
you talk to each other the more people
you talk to each other the more people can have a better interpretation and
can have a better interpretation and
can have a better interpretation and representation of what feminism means
representation of what feminism means
representation of what feminism means and what’s followers are searching for
and what’s followers are searching for
and what’s followers are searching for and I believe that by talking to each
and I believe that by talking to each
and I believe that by talking to each other we can make feminism not just a
other we can make feminism not just a
other we can make feminism not just a belief but in action so yes I am a
belief but in action so yes I am a
belief but in action so yes I am a feminist I am NOT weak I am not inferior
feminist I am NOT weak I am not inferior
feminist I am NOT weak I am not inferior I am powerful our beliefs are what make
I am powerful our beliefs are what make
I am powerful our beliefs are what make us all unstoppable and
I think and I hope that by continuing to
I think and I hope that by continuing to talk and by continuing to advocate for
talk and by continuing to advocate for
talk and by continuing to advocate for ourselves we can make feminism and
ourselves we can make feminism and
ourselves we can make feminism and action and I believe that by speaking up
action and I believe that by speaking up
action and I believe that by speaking up for yourself and others and not judging
for yourself and others and not judging
for yourself and others and not judging someone based off their appearance
someone based off their appearance
someone based off their appearance appearance and not until you truly know
appearance and not until you truly know
appearance and not until you truly know a person can you determine what they can
a person can you determine what they can
a person can you determine what they can and cannot do and by doing this we can
and cannot do and by doing this we can
and cannot do and by doing this we can all be more unified and more United and
all be more unified and more United and
all be more unified and more United and lastly look at feminism as what makes
lastly look at feminism as what makes
lastly look at feminism as what makes you strong not different and take the
you strong not different and take the
you strong not different and take the first step that will help you dive into
first step that will help you dive into
first step that will help you dive into an unknown that you fear thank you
an unknown that you fear thank you
an unknown that you fear thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment