This I believe. That we the people need to change the weight of words. Communities that are marginalized or underrepresented struggle to share their collective voices and to have those voices heard. Historically, women’s voices have not been given the respect they deserve in areas ranging from classrooms to athletic fields to the halls of Congress. In my own life, my ideas have been ignored or shouted down in academic and non-academic settings. Giving credence to the collective voice of fifty percent of the population is long overdue; this kind of change requires a cultural shift. 

For too long, there has been a sense of entitlement provided to young men, often at the expense of women. This sense of entitlement can manifest itself in the attainment of power; and with power comes weight. It is this power imbalance that I would change. We see a glimmer of hope in leaders like Malala Yousafzai or Greta Thunberg. Ideally, these young women would be universally applauded for their ideals; however, because their words carry weight, efforts have been made to silence them. 

Giving weight to women’s words acknowledges the power that these words carry while also providing confidence, a voice, and ultimately a sense of self. Every individual deserves to say words that hold weight, words that matter. The opportunity for women to effect positive change during our lifetimes is not one we should take for granted. 

But I understand it is very hard to stand up and make your voice heard. I understand it is difficult to stand out in a room, not because your ideas and ability are incredible, but because you are “out of line.” Standing up to this hypothetical room, I could tell you the outcome of so many situations, very few of which end in understanding. Standing up to this hypothetical room is just as hard as standing out in a society where we are expected to be submissive peacekeepers.

But for me–a girl with a future, a girl with younger sisters, a girl who was raised by a diverse set of strong women, a girl who is driven and intellectual and passionate–I promise to speak up. I promise to do so despite the laughs of those who won’t take me seriously. I promise to do so despite hate that may put me in danger for having spoken my thoughts. I promise to do so despite the utter humiliation that comes with not being heard at all. I promise to do so because a cultural shift can only occur when communities come together and demand change. I am demanding change. This is the change I hope to see as my future pans out. I believe that my words should hold the same weight as a man’s, and until this can be proven every time a woman has something to say, I will continue to fight this inequality.