I Am A Feminist | Morgan Levine | TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool

my name is Morgan Levine and I’m here to

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]