I remember talking with my best friends some time ago about some of the problems in today’s society that shape the way our futures might look. A key point we came up with is the lack of equality and acceptance that we see in the world. Even after the Women’s Suffrage Movement succeeded in 1920 when the 19th amendment was ratified, allowing women the right to vote, we are still yet to be seen as equal to our male counterparts. Gay marriage was legalized six years ago nationwide, on June 26, 2015, and there are still many people acting to repeal the law as well as tear down everyone in the lgbtqia+ community. People of color continually face many forms of racism, ranging from microaggressions to blatant hatred in a country that is praised for its acceptance. We are all entitled to live without the fear of facing violence and discrimination, to take control of our own lives and future, to speak our minds, and to vote. We are all entitled to human rights.

The response to the LGBTQIA+ community is a far cry from what it might have been a decade ago. Unfortunately, there are still so many people determined to invalidate us and tear us down. We are told to “go to hell” and “die” by the very people who preach peace and love. People come to us prepared with arguments rooted in ignorance, yet refuse to listen to the reason we offer.  “Disagreeing with their way of life” is not the valid excuse you think it is. You can disagree over cereal before milk or sleeping with socks on, but who someone is or loves is not a discussion for you to put your two senses in. Another commonly endured argument I’ve heard is “being gay is a sin,” but what if I told you that homosexuality is not the sin it is condemned to be. When a person references the bible to prove their point it is not uncommon to use two verses from The Book of Leviticus. These verses being 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination, and 20:13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them. The true context of these quotes has to do with male prostitutes at the temples of pagan goddesses, or adultery.  So as you can see, this has absolutely nothing to do with the argument that homosexuality is evil or something to be frowned upon. Why take something that speaks of love and peace to use as a weapon against someone?

We have come a long way from when the woman’s suffrage movement had started, but there are still so many women and girls who face discrimination based on their sex and gender. Gender inequality that is commonly seen today includes lower pay, sexual and domestic violence, and health care rights. All these problems and more are ones that women are more likely to face than their male counterparts. It is often seen that a woman politician will be talked over or disrespected by their male peers. Examples of this are when Representative Yoho called Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez “A fucking bitch,” in front of reporters, or when Pramila Jayapal was told she didn’t “Know a damn thing.” There is also the matter of bans on abortions in certain states and countries. In many places across the globe, women cannot access legal and safe abortions regardless of the situation. There are still so many steps for us to take until we reach the top until we reach where we deserve to be. 

It is well known that in our history people of color have been faced with many forms of hatred, discrimination, and racism. All of these are still problems in today’s society, however, there are still people ignorant to the fact. There are people getting horribly killed, subjected to brutal violence, and more, all on the basis of race. There is also the matter of microaggressions which are commonly used against all POC. For those who don’t know, a microaggression is a statement or action that is subtle or unintentional discrimination against a marginalized group of people (usually racial or ethnic minorities.) There is also a lot of racism and discrimination in learning environments. I have often heard racial slurs being said to put down others and as a way to separate them from others. There is still so much to be done to make sure people of color are treated equally to their white peers.