As a young woman from a deprived rural area, I encountered quite a few obstacles in my way. I loved archery, but when I practiced, I got comments like, “Isn’t this a sport for men?” I had financial troubles to boot, so no matter how much I wanted to continue training, I had to leave the sport behind. This was my first real experience of heartbreak, where the social system of gender prejudice and inequality crushed my dreams and hopes.
I do not wish to be one of the many who say that our world is unfair and then do nothing about it. That mentality is what pushed me to want to become an active member of society in the future. And when I expressed an interest in politics, I was told, “Isn’t that a man’s job?” Again, gender inequality. For me, the decisive moment was when I started actively participating in a project meant to prevent sexual violence. The cruel statistics and stories I heard made me realize that the world is not equal, and for that to change, I needed to do something. That is how I became a feminist—a feminist who dreams of gender equality.
However, my dream does not stop at gender equality. I dream of a world where being born equal, regardless of gender or race, would be our truth. To achieve this, I want to provide a place where all who want to pursue equality in the face of social issues can gather. There, we can learn and pass on, discuss and explore our experiences and societal realities, so we can work against the systems designed to oppress us.
Our world is a beautiful, unique mosaic. Unfortunately, we all too easily forget that this is our shared home. Hope lies in our communities and the desire of young people for a better tomorrow. Power to change is in the bridges built between us through our shared experiences. For this reason, I hope to change the people around me with small changes and actions, like a talk when they need it, a helping hand, or a shoulder to cry on in hard times. All of this, a positive outlook on life, will eventually lead us to our big dream. Of that I am sure. Just a single individual can change the world if they so desire.
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