Instill the value of feminism to the next generation

A few days ago, I went to visit a friend of mine who was tabling on Turlington Plaza for the Women’s Student Association’s Women’s Empowerment Week. She was there for a good portion of the day alongside other members of the organization, passing out “Girl Boss” temporary tattoos and collecting clothes to donate to Peaceful Paths, a local domestic-abuse shelter.

I watched many women walking by the table take tattoos and smile. Some didn’t. The latter bothered me, not only as a feminist who thinks everyone should be a feminist but as someone who has tabled in public spaces before. You don’t have to subscribe to everything every student organization is raising awareness about, but if it is something positive and they’re being perfectly pleasant, why is it so hard to politely take what they’re offering and go on with your day? This is not my main point, but something I thought I’d bring up regardless.

After a while, a tour group of some sort walked by. There were some adults, but they were surrounded by a huge group of young kids. I’d wager most of them were around 10 years old. There were both boys and girls in the group, and nearly every single kid stormed the table to get a “Girl Boss” tattoo. I loved this, however, the most memorable part of the whole ordeal was when one kid asked, “Are you guys … feminists?”

As overjoyed as I was to hear that someone of such a young age was at least familiar enough with feminism to recognize it, I was a little frustrated. This kid was probably not even out of elementary school and was so excited by the idea of feminism. Boys were climbing over each other to get a “Girl Boss” tattoo. They’re kids, and they behave this way because they haven’t been slammed with the realities of gender inequality yet.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been interrupted by a man and then chastised for interrupting a man. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to fight to make myself heard when talking to a group of men. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to explain to people why feminism is necessary because they “just don’t see the problem.”

Gender inequality is not innate, dear readers. You are not born knowing that women are not to be treated equally to men. It is learned. While I won’t assert that these kids are completely unaware of gender inequality, it certainly didn’t stop the boys from wanting a tattoo that said girls are bosses.

Feminism isn’t just up to the women. It is certainly important that women are involved. Some women may be just fine being treated as lesser, but I, alongside women like those tabling last week, those who marched on Washington, D.C., and those who devoted their lives to extending suffrage to women, will not stand for it.

How many more generations will have to experience feminism? How many more mothers will have to explain to their daughters that men make more money doing the same job and that that’s just how it is? How many more women will be accused of being too weak and emotional to do their job? How many women will be told they should be seen and not heard? How much longer will women have to fight just to be seen as equal? Not “better than.” Not “above.” Not “superior to.” Just equal.

Dear readers, I don’t know. I hope zero, but I know as I write this that these things are happening. I also know we have an army full of figures large and small ready to do whatever it takes. Women have accomplished a lot, but it’s only just the beginning. I hope these kids who happened to wander through Turlington Plaza last week know the power they hold.

Taylor Cavaliere is a UF journalism and psychology sophomore. Her column appears on Mondays.