Hey everyone! Since January blogging didn't work out so well, I wanted to share some of the things I did in during that month and in the first few days of February. Also, I am reading quite a few books right now, so hopefully I will have some book reviews up soon. Although I haven't been blogging, I've taken a lot of photos.
School Ski Trip to Okemo Resort, Vermont Last year, I went on my school's ski trip for the first time. You can read all about that here. Back in December, Nikki and I went skiing at Hunter Mountain in preparation for this year's ski trip. In January, I spent two days in Vermont to ski and just have fun with the girls in my school.
If you are familiar with Okemo Mountain Resort, there's a green run called Sachem, and I had never done a full run before... until this trip! Previously, we've only done runs that are pretty short also known as the Bull Run. After a 15-minute lift ride, we went down such a cool slope, except we were still pretty scared, but falling is half the fun.
We skied half way down the mountain to a restaurant just to take pictures of the view.
The conditions on the first day were so bad that I had to buy a face mask to cover my whole body. Not a single part of me was showing. Every time I would talk to someone, I would have to say my name because they couldn't recognize me.
I use this app called 1SE (one second a day), which compiles a second every day into a video. This was a short clip from the day with some of my friends.
It's not a ski trip without waffles!
The Women's March
In January, I took part in the Women's March in NYC. I loved the idea of #PowerToThePolls because the only way to see real change in the United States is through new representatives, policy change, and legislation. I have to say though, the Women's March in New York was very disappointing because there was no passion. People walked the streets in silence, which would've been good if it were a silent protest, but the Women's March is all about using your voice and empowering people. I was so sad that people cared more about going on there phones than actually making noise and getting messages across.
We spent hours before the March making signs.
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Hey everyone! Today is International Day of the Girl, along with Coming Out Day. I feel like these are two important days of the year and show how much we have grown as a more accepting world in the 21st century. I wanted to do a post today on the the importance of being a girl and how awesome it can be. I've been inspired today because of all the positive posts and videos that I have seen about being a woman.
I am a feminist, so to clarify for those of you who don't know the right definition of feminism it is...the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. Feminism to me means that I want all genders to be equal. I, personally, advocate for the gender pay gap to be closed because I don't understand why I shouldn't be paid the same amount of money as a male for the same job. I also advocate for men and women to not be forced in societal standards. Why do we use terms such as "man up," "you run like a girl,"or the use of a word that has made a lot of headlines lately due to Donald Trump.
Girls need to be supported in everything we do. The world was run by white males for thousands of years, and females became the oppressed sex. Girls are still seen as sex objects in many countries, and are forced into prostitution before they even understand their own body. For many centuries, girls weren't even allowed to have an education because their jobs were to clean the house and raise children. To this day, girls make up 2/3 of the amount of people in the world who are illiterate. Less than 40% of countries in present day do not give equal education for boys and girls. I am blessed that I was born into the life that I have because I get to have an education, and will be able to graduate from college and get a job. The United States is one of the countries that has made a leap (not a big enough leap, but a leap all the same) to give girls equal education because for every 100 boys in University, there are 103 girls.There are girls around the world who even if they want an education do not have the financial means to or are not allowed to by their family, government, or other forces. In countries such as Nigeria, school girls were captured by extremist groups just for wanting an education. How is this fair to girls? Why is it seen as illegal in many countries just to receive an education?
Girls deal with problems that nobody should be subjected to. Rape is a problem in all genders, but when we have political figures trying to stop non-profits such as Planned Parenthood, we fear for our future generations. Without getting too political, girls need a round of applause for dealing with a choice shaming society for whatever they do. I've seen stories of girls getting shamed for getting an abortion even though it's their own body. I've seen stories of girls getting shamed for keeping a baby no matter what the circumstances. How can a girl develop and prosper in a world where whatever their decision they get shamed?
I can go on and on about the statistics of women in the world and all the injustices they face, but now I am going to talk about the pros of being a girl and the empowerment we deserve.
Women received the right to vote in 1920 in the United States. At the time, this right didn't include all women, but it was a step in the right direction. This is important for me because in the year 2020, I will be able to vote for the president of the United States.
Women can be in the Olympics, and win medals in the sports they compete in. If you haven't learned anything from the Summer 2016 Olympics, then you should look to see how many women won medals in the sports they competed in.
Girls are the future. There is not a job or thing we cannot do. Just because people use the insult "like a girl," that doesn't mean that you can't do something. Yes, I am a girl and I can run, finish college, get a degree, be an engineer, be a soccer player, be a CEO, and anything else I set my mind to.
Everyone should work to build each other up because that's how we make progress. We live in a time with computers, iPhones, and technology that can send our message out in minutes. We need to raise awareness for those who are suffering from injustice, and support those who are trying to beat it. You don't have to be a girl to support other girls, but by not using derogatory terms to put others down is a step in the right direction.
Here are some videos that can explain the importance of celebrating girls:
Emma Watson speaking at the UN in 2012 on Feminism and the #HeforShe Movement.
If you get anything at all from this post, it is to support girls because they are the future when it comes to progressing in society. It is the end of an era of oppressing women. Spread the word about International Day of the Girl, and fight for it to become an even bigger thing.
xx Christina Madeleine
*If I said any things that are politically incorrect, it is not my conscious intention to do so*
Start a conversation below in the comments about feminism, the importance of girls, and whatever else in the comments below.
