Name: Anna Scott
Community/State: Inverloch, Victoria
School: Newhaven College
Age/Grade: 16 Years, Year 10
Overcoming the odds – how can we push through barriers to achieve gender equality?
The unfortunate truth is that breaking this glass ceiling is a long process. It will not happen overnight, just as it will not happen with inaction. As is true with so many issues, silence is oppression. By staying quiet, we are saying “I’m okay with this”. We need to speak out, and speak up. Granted, it can be hard to tell your friends that their language is derogatory, but the weight of saying “That’s not okay” is far less than the weight of the shackles of sexism. If we want not only our generation, but our future ones to feel free, it is up to us.
The people and experiences we are surrounded by have major impacts on us. Studies have proven that repeated exposure can instill these ideas within us. In our modern culture, with anybody able to voice their opinions on social media and television shows easily streamed “anytime, anywhere”, society is dictating a vast amount of what we believe, and so much of this is toxic towards our view of gender and identity. By deciding to simply hit unfollow or skipping the show about pretty girls competing for a husband, we are not only depriving them of viewers, we are gifting ourselves the ability to make decisions of our own, and stop our judgement being clouded by such narrow ideals.
The mere- exposure effect is also found in the people we are most around. Deciding to distance or connect yourself with others can be the difference in your mindset. I have one teacher in particular who is a feminist and humanitarian, and just by listening intently in her classes, I believe my mind has been opened to bigger ideas.
As a society, we also need to contemplate education. While exposure is often on a personal level, education requires a community. It requires children’s programs to not only have strong women, sensitive men and everyone in between, but portray that importance to the young, impressionable viewers. It requires parents explaining to their children the importance of equality, but also the ways inequality occurs. The same can be said for schools. By running, supporting or announcing organizations such as Country to Canberra or HeForShe, we are opening our current and future generations to invaluable insights and resources.
To create equality, these issues must be addressed first. Without shifts in mindset, knowledge and society, we cannot be viewed as equal.
Anna’s Power Trip is kindly being sponsored by AgriFutures Australia!