From a very young age as a girl you are always told to never go anywhere without a buddy, don't talk to strangers, and not to wander off from the group. As a teen it's drilled into you, that you need to be modest and cover up because we as females are distracting. In society we look at women who were raped because of what they were wearing, and say "she asked for it" maybe she shouldn't dress provocatively. On of the most recent instances that infuriated me was that which took place on a regular college campus. The female cross country team is no longer allowed to run on the track in a sports bra and shorts because it's "too distracting" to the football player. In my opinion this is absolute crap.

I hate being a female in today's society and it saddens me to say that. I was fortunate to be taught to chase my dreams, because I can achieve anything that I set my mind to. On my quest to make my dreams a reality one of the first steps was going to college. As a female this came with its own set of warnings. "Don't take drinks from someone you don't know", "Always go places in groups", "Be aware of your surroundings", "Always carry your phone", "Carry pepper spray", "Take a self defense class", and the list of warnings I've received goes on. Being a sophomore in college I didn't immediately take all of these warnings seriously because we all think "It'll never happen to me, right?" Well I hate to be the one to say it but there are creepers lurking around every corner and they come in all forms.

From personal experience, all within the last week, I have had two experiences that nearly stopped me in my tracks. I have been harassed, cat-called, and even followed to Walmart of all places. In none of these cases was I dressed provocatively, nor did I ask for it to happen in any way, shape, or form. The only thing that caused this to happen was me simply being a young female.

Let that sink in,,,

Just because I am a female I have to constantly look over my shoulder to make sure people aren't lurking, I can't go places alone, or even in small groups for that matter. I constantly pick apart how I look because I don't want to dress in a provocative manner. However, being a female isn't the issue. The problem is the way that we have allowed men to objectify women. We have taught them to look at females as objects to do what they please with. They have no sense of respect or morality. They do wrong and then get a slap on the wrist because of the positions and titles that they hold. Women have to live in a constant state of fear in today's society because of how far removed simple respect has gotten from everyday actions. I hope that someday soon, there will be a change, one that allows women to walk around not as objects in a mans eye, but as an equal, a respected partner, friend, or colleague.

Disclaimer: I am aware that not all men are this way, however as this is a topic that has really hit close to home lately I felt that it needed to be addressed.