I’ve been called a terrorist yeah I’m telling the truth it was in my 8th grade
telling the truth it was in my 8th grade
telling the truth it was in my 8th grade social studies class actually now of
social studies class actually now of
social studies class actually now of course she may ask why was the girl with
course she may ask why was the girl with
course she may ask why was the girl with big blue glasses and bangs called a
big blue glasses and bangs called a
big blue glasses and bangs called a terrorist and the answer is I said that
terrorist and the answer is I said that
terrorist and the answer is I said that women were oppressed a privileged eighth
women were oppressed a privileged eighth
women were oppressed a privileged eighth grade boy called me a terrorist because
grade boy called me a terrorist because
grade boy called me a terrorist because I dared to tell him a fact that the wage
I dared to tell him a fact that the wage
I dared to tell him a fact that the wage gap existed and then on average women
gap existed and then on average women
gap existed and then on average women were paid less than men for doing the
were paid less than men for doing the
were paid less than men for doing the same job what is feminism by the way as
same job what is feminism by the way as
same job what is feminism by the way as defined by the dictionary and my a PR
defined by the dictionary and my a PR
defined by the dictionary and my a PR peon history textbook feminism is the
peon history textbook feminism is the
peon history textbook feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis
advocacy of women’s rights on the basis
advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of equality of the sexes you heard me
of equality of the sexes you heard me
of equality of the sexes you heard me right it’s not hating men and it’s not
right it’s not hating men and it’s not
right it’s not hating men and it’s not female supremacy despite what some of my
female supremacy despite what some of my
female supremacy despite what some of my male co-workers seem to think feminism
male co-workers seem to think feminism
male co-workers seem to think feminism is not similar to communism like at all
is not similar to communism like at all
is not similar to communism like at all is not some kooky liberal concept it is
is not some kooky liberal concept it is
is not some kooky liberal concept it is simply equality for everyone and anyone
simply equality for everyone and anyone
simply equality for everyone and anyone and I am proud to say that I am a
and I am proud to say that I am a
and I am proud to say that I am a feminist let me point out something I’m
feminist let me point out something I’m
feminist let me point out something I’m sure some of you are thinking and you
sure some of you are thinking and you
sure some of you are thinking and you might not even realize you’re thinking
might not even realize you’re thinking
might not even realize you’re thinking that I’m not as professional as a man
that I’m not as professional as a man
that I’m not as professional as a man would be I’m standing up here as a 15
would be I’m standing up here as a 15
would be I’m standing up here as a 15 year old girl putting myself on display
year old girl putting myself on display
year old girl putting myself on display and I’m terrified I mean of course I am
and I’m terrified I mean of course I am
and I’m terrified I mean of course I am I’m in front of a huge audience and I’m
I’m in front of a huge audience and I’m
I’m in front of a huge audience and I’m vulnerable but the crowd is not my
vulnerable but the crowd is not my
vulnerable but the crowd is not my biggest worry I’m not only scared to
biggest worry I’m not only scared to
biggest worry I’m not only scared to mess up I’m scared to be sneered at
mess up I’m scared to be sneered at
mess up I’m scared to be sneered at mocked in my experience when a man
mocked in my experience when a man
mocked in my experience when a man messes up in front of a crowd people
messes up in front of a crowd people
messes up in front of a crowd people laugh as if to say haha how funny
laugh as if to say haha how funny
laugh as if to say haha how funny when a woman messes up she isn’t seen as
when a woman messes up she isn’t seen as
when a woman messes up she isn’t seen as funny but is seen as less legitimate
funny but is seen as less legitimate
funny but is seen as less legitimate women just aren’t taken as seriously as
women just aren’t taken as seriously as
women just aren’t taken as seriously as men and it’s been this way for hundreds
men and it’s been this way for hundreds
men and it’s been this way for hundreds of years in 17th century Europe when
of years in 17th century Europe when
of years in 17th century Europe when women tried sharing their ideas during
women tried sharing their ideas during
women tried sharing their ideas during the Enlightenment men would not listen
the Enlightenment men would not listen
the Enlightenment men would not listen to what they had to say instead men
to what they had to say instead men
to what they had to say instead men would publish articles about how women
would publish articles about how women
would publish articles about how women were biologically inferior women were
were biologically inferior women were
were biologically inferior women were told to be good daughters good mothers
told to be good daughters good mothers
told to be good daughters good mothers and good wife
and good wife
and good wife a woman who wanted to pursue an
a woman who wanted to pursue an
a woman who wanted to pursue an education was ridiculed men held a
education was ridiculed men held a
education was ridiculed men held a natural dominance and women could never
natural dominance and women could never
natural dominance and women could never come close they weren’t supposed to they
come close they weren’t supposed to they
come close they weren’t supposed to they weren’t supposed to try they weren’t
weren’t supposed to try they weren’t
weren’t supposed to try they weren’t supposed to think they could 17th
supposed to think they could 17th
supposed to think they could 17th century Europe was not the only time
century Europe was not the only time
century Europe was not the only time that women faced the obstacle of
that women faced the obstacle of
that women faced the obstacle of medicine dominance currently the 2016
medicine dominance currently the 2016
medicine dominance currently the 2016 fortune 500 list of CEOs was only 4.2
fortune 500 list of CEOs was only 4.2
fortune 500 list of CEOs was only 4.2 percent female women are not seen as
percent female women are not seen as
percent female women are not seen as people who could handle the pressure of
people who could handle the pressure of
people who could handle the pressure of running a business
running a business
running a business due to our hormones and are naturally
due to our hormones and are naturally
due to our hormones and are naturally inferior bodies and minds but why ask
inferior bodies and minds but why ask
inferior bodies and minds but why ask yourself does this make sense does this
yourself does this make sense does this
yourself does this make sense does this percentage sound fair to you why is
percentage sound fair to you why is
percentage sound fair to you why is there the suspicion that women are
there the suspicion that women are
there the suspicion that women are inferior institutional ideas of how the
inferior institutional ideas of how the
inferior institutional ideas of how the sexes should behave start young if you
sexes should behave start young if you
sexes should behave start young if you walk down an aisle of a toy store with
walk down an aisle of a toy store with
walk down an aisle of a toy store with toys marketed for boys you’ll see trucks
toys marketed for boys you’ll see trucks
toys marketed for boys you’ll see trucks and tools and things that are considered
and tools and things that are considered
and tools and things that are considered manly if you walk down an aisle aimed at
manly if you walk down an aisle aimed at
manly if you walk down an aisle aimed at girls you’ll see cooking toys and
girls you’ll see cooking toys and
girls you’ll see cooking toys and cleaning toys and dolls that reflect
cleaning toys and dolls that reflect
cleaning toys and dolls that reflect unrealistic body standards these toys
unrealistic body standards these toys
unrealistic body standards these toys tell girls that they’re supposed to cook
tell girls that they’re supposed to cook
tell girls that they’re supposed to cook and clean and look good well the boys
and clean and look good well the boys
and clean and look good well the boys toys tell them that their shows to build
toys tell them that their shows to build
toys tell them that their shows to build and be tough my mom didn’t get me only
and be tough my mom didn’t get me only
and be tough my mom didn’t get me only cooking and cleaning toys i played with
cooking and cleaning toys i played with
cooking and cleaning toys i played with Matchbox cars and plastic tools but I
Matchbox cars and plastic tools but I
Matchbox cars and plastic tools but I had my Barbie dolls to the ingrained
had my Barbie dolls to the ingrained
had my Barbie dolls to the ingrained idea of a man’s place in a woman’s place
idea of a man’s place in a woman’s place
idea of a man’s place in a woman’s place has been around for so long that no one
has been around for so long that no one
has been around for so long that no one knows any different or even dares to
knows any different or even dares to
knows any different or even dares to question it these gender biases are not
question it these gender biases are not
question it these gender biases are not only seen in children’s toys they’re on
only seen in children’s toys they’re on
only seen in children’s toys they’re on our magazine covers two covers for
our magazine covers two covers for
our magazine covers two covers for women’s magazines advertise looking good
women’s magazines advertise looking good
women’s magazines advertise looking good from men and pleasing men and not about
from men and pleasing men and not about
from men and pleasing men and not about women being the best versions of
women being the best versions of
women being the best versions of themselves or expressing themselves as a
themselves or expressing themselves as a
themselves or expressing themselves as a girl who grew up insecure about her body
girl who grew up insecure about her body
girl who grew up insecure about her body I always thought that I would never find
I always thought that I would never find
I always thought that I would never find someone unless I looked better
someone unless I looked better
someone unless I looked better I felt that I would never be good enough
I felt that I would never be good enough
I felt that I would never be good enough until I gained a man’s approval I wish I
until I gained a man’s approval I wish I
until I gained a man’s approval I wish I was only taught to need just my approval
was only taught to need just my approval
was only taught to need just my approval we’re all susceptible to believing this
we’re all susceptible to believing this
we’re all susceptible to believing this and it’s so harmful to our
and it’s so harmful to our
and it’s so harmful to our self-confidence
self-confidence
self-confidence I remember going to a Hannah Montana
I remember going to a Hannah Montana
I remember going to a Hannah Montana concert at age five and thinking that I
concert at age five and thinking that I
concert at age five and thinking that I could never be famous or accomplish
could never be famous or accomplish
could never be famous or accomplish anything like her unless I was skinnier
anything like her unless I was skinnier
anything like her unless I was skinnier and prettier me repeat that I was five
and prettier me repeat that I was five
and prettier me repeat that I was five exposing young girls to advertisements
exposing young girls to advertisements
exposing young girls to advertisements like these is unhealthy because it
like these is unhealthy because it
like these is unhealthy because it pressures them to conform to unrealistic
pressures them to conform to unrealistic
pressures them to conform to unrealistic standards as I thought I had to for so
standards as I thought I had to for so
standards as I thought I had to for so much of my life like I said before it’s
much of my life like I said before it’s
much of my life like I said before it’s not our fault that we don’t know to
not our fault that we don’t know to
not our fault that we don’t know to challenge these gender roles they’ve
challenge these gender roles they’ve
challenge these gender roles they’ve been set for so long and we were raised
been set for so long and we were raised
been set for so long and we were raised with them in a PRP in history and we
with them in a PRP in history and we
with them in a PRP in history and we read a passage written by a woman that
read a passage written by a woman that
read a passage written by a woman that really rubbed me the wrong way here’s a
really rubbed me the wrong way here’s a
really rubbed me the wrong way here’s a quote from the passage that I feel is an
quote from the passage that I feel is an
quote from the passage that I feel is an accurate summary there is something so
accurate summary there is something so
accurate summary there is something so unpleasant in female self-sufficiency
unpleasant in female self-sufficiency
unpleasant in female self-sufficiency well I was raised by a single mother a
well I was raised by a single mother a
well I was raised by a single mother a very pleasant self-sufficient female
very pleasant self-sufficient female
very pleasant self-sufficient female there was no man to take care of us
there was no man to take care of us
there was no man to take care of us my mom’s mother and father raised her to
my mom’s mother and father raised her to
my mom’s mother and father raised her to don’t know how to support herself in the
don’t know how to support herself in the
don’t know how to support herself in the real world she raised me alone and she
real world she raised me alone and she
real world she raised me alone and she raised me well I know how to fend for
raised me well I know how to fend for
raised me well I know how to fend for myself I’ve been using tools since I
myself I’ve been using tools since I
myself I’ve been using tools since I could hold them and I’ve always had the
could hold them and I’ve always had the
could hold them and I’ve always had the motivation to work for myself much like
motivation to work for myself much like
motivation to work for myself much like my mother
my mother
my mother personally I don’t want to be a
personally I don’t want to be a
personally I don’t want to be a housewife while my husband works and
housewife while my husband works and
housewife while my husband works and provides for the family not that there’s
provides for the family not that there’s
provides for the family not that there’s anything wrong with making that choice
anything wrong with making that choice
anything wrong with making that choice but I am more than a maid and a mother I
but I am more than a maid and a mother I
but I am more than a maid and a mother I am strong and I’m independent and I only
am strong and I’m independent and I only
am strong and I’m independent and I only need a man to kill the bugs so what can
need a man to kill the bugs so what can
need a man to kill the bugs so what can we do to stop these imposed gender roles
we do to stop these imposed gender roles
we do to stop these imposed gender roles we need to start young if you have a son
we need to start young if you have a son
we need to start young if you have a son and he wants a doll get him that doll if
and he wants a doll get him that doll if
and he wants a doll get him that doll if you have a daughter and she wants a
you have a daughter and she wants a
you have a daughter and she wants a racecar get her that racecar raise young
racecar get her that racecar raise young
racecar get her that racecar raise young girls to love themselves and take care
girls to love themselves and take care
girls to love themselves and take care of themselves and teach young boys to
of themselves and teach young boys to
of themselves and teach young boys to respect girls don’t ignore the existence
respect girls don’t ignore the existence
respect girls don’t ignore the existence of sexual abuse don’t impose sexist
of sexual abuse don’t impose sexist
of sexual abuse don’t impose sexist dress codes in schools that shame girls
dress codes in schools that shame girls
dress codes in schools that shame girls for being comfortable and confident with
for being comfortable and confident with
for being comfortable and confident with who they are telling girls that they
who they are telling girls that they
who they are telling girls that they need to cover up so as not to distract
need to cover up so as not to distract
need to cover up so as not to distract boys tells them that their bodies are
boys tells them that their bodies are
boys tells them that their bodies are not something of which they should be
not something of which they should be
not something of which they should be proud array
proud array
proud array the double standard that a woman who
the double standard that a woman who
the double standard that a woman who saves herself from marriage is a prude
saves herself from marriage is a prude
saves herself from marriage is a prude but a woman who doesn’t is a stop
but a woman who doesn’t is a stop
but a woman who doesn’t is a stop shaming men stop praising men for
shaming men stop praising men for
shaming men stop praising men for sleeping with a lot of women when you
sleeping with a lot of women when you
sleeping with a lot of women when you turn around and shame girls for doing
turn around and shame girls for doing
turn around and shame girls for doing the same teach what is polite and what
the same teach what is polite and what
the same teach what is polite and what is crossing a boundary telling someone
is crossing a boundary telling someone
is crossing a boundary telling someone they look very nice is polite a man
they look very nice is polite a man
they look very nice is polite a man calling out of his car hey baby nice
calling out of his car hey baby nice
calling out of his car hey baby nice rack is crossing a line and threatening
rack is crossing a line and threatening
rack is crossing a line and threatening here’s an example of wrong when a much
here’s an example of wrong when a much
here’s an example of wrong when a much older man said to my coworker Brandon I
older man said to my coworker Brandon I
older man said to my coworker Brandon I feel bad for all the guys working here I
feel bad for all the guys working here I
feel bad for all the guys working here I don’t know how you could focus around
don’t know how you could focus around
don’t know how you could focus around such hot girls well he looked our
such hot girls well he looked our
such hot girls well he looked our co-worker Madison who was 15 at the time
co-worker Madison who was 15 at the time
co-worker Madison who was 15 at the time up and down another example of wrong is
up and down another example of wrong is
up and down another example of wrong is when a much older man said to me that if
when a much older man said to me that if
when a much older man said to me that if he was just four years younger he would
he was just four years younger he would
he was just four years younger he would fall in love with me he couldn’t have
fall in love with me he couldn’t have
fall in love with me he couldn’t have been more than 50 well less than 50 I
been more than 50 well less than 50 I
been more than 50 well less than 50 I responded with my age which was 15 he
responded with my age which was 15 he
responded with my age which was 15 he said add a few and then just left in the
said add a few and then just left in the
said add a few and then just left in the time that he was there I had to stay on
time that he was there I had to stay on
time that he was there I had to stay on the phone with my mother while I took
the phone with my mother while I took
the phone with my mother while I took out the garbage
out the garbage
out the garbage because he wouldn’t stop staring at me
because he wouldn’t stop staring at me
because he wouldn’t stop staring at me and I didn’t feel safe in the place I
and I didn’t feel safe in the place I
and I didn’t feel safe in the place I was working after he left I called my
was working after he left I called my
was working after he left I called my mom crying from the bathroom
mom crying from the bathroom
mom crying from the bathroom these men are examples of why I’m scared
these men are examples of why I’m scared
these men are examples of why I’m scared to go out alone at night and why my mom
to go out alone at night and why my mom
to go out alone at night and why my mom worries so much for my safety but most
worries so much for my safety but most
worries so much for my safety but most importantly these men are examples of
importantly these men are examples of
importantly these men are examples of why we need to make a change the most
why we need to make a change the most
why we need to make a change the most urgent thing we need to do is to show
urgent thing we need to do is to show
urgent thing we need to do is to show all generations how to change their
all generations how to change their
all generations how to change their actions ladies put up a fight if someone
actions ladies put up a fight if someone
actions ladies put up a fight if someone says something objectifying or
says something objectifying or
says something objectifying or threatening to you if a man cat calls
threatening to you if a man cat calls
threatening to you if a man cat calls you don’t let him get away with it
you don’t let him get away with it
you don’t let him get away with it don’t let him think you don’t mind or
don’t let him think you don’t mind or
don’t let him think you don’t mind or that it’s okay behavior as girls can put
that it’s okay behavior as girls can put
that it’s okay behavior as girls can put up a fight women should be able to be
up a fight women should be able to be
up a fight women should be able to be themselves and not undo so comfortably
themselves and not undo so comfortably
themselves and not undo so comfortably we should be able to challenge men and
we should be able to challenge men and
we should be able to challenge men and not be scared to do so and men don’t
not be scared to do so and men don’t
not be scared to do so and men don’t expect women to depend on you understand
expect women to depend on you understand
expect women to depend on you understand the fact that we can be our own person
the fact that we can be our own person
the fact that we can be our own person and run our own lives and treat us with
and run our own lives and treat us with
and run our own lives and treat us with some respect don’t objectify us and
some respect don’t objectify us and
some respect don’t objectify us and don’t assume that we want to sleep with
don’t assume that we want to sleep with
don’t assume that we want to sleep with you together we can erase the idea that
you together we can erase the idea that
you together we can erase the idea that feminism is man-hating and that women
feminism is man-hating and that women
feminism is man-hating and that women are just bodies these are all examples
are just bodies these are all examples
are just bodies these are all examples of
of
of what we need to change how we can do it
what we need to change how we can do it
what we need to change how we can do it and why we need to we are all more than
and why we need to we are all more than
and why we need to we are all more than maids and mothers and objects for men’s
maids and mothers and objects for men’s
maids and mothers and objects for men’s pleasure we are all strong we are all
pleasure we are all strong we are all
pleasure we are all strong we are all independent and we are all damn proud to
independent and we are all damn proud to
independent and we are all damn proud to be women thank you
be women thank you
be women thank you [Applause]
”
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