I’m a big boy. I could handle being isolated from civilization, I could handle marching in the blistering hot sun while screaming cicadas swarmed around me, I could even handle the complete lack of phone service or air conditioning. Spending a week away at a government camp instead of enjoying my summer break in a daze of laziness certainly isn’t uncharacteristic of me, so I was surprised when this one turned out to be different.

Last Sunday, I was thrown onto a campground with 400 of West Virginia’s “best and brightest” young men and tasked with forming a new state. I’ll admit, for a self-proclaimed nerd such as myself, playing a big game of political pretend sounded awesome; however, I wasn’t used to only being around other boys for such a long period of time. It was a bit of a cultural shock for me to be truly honest. Naturally, the air was filled to the brim with pure testosterone. Bravado and hyper-masculinity was accompanied by rampant homophobic slurs and genitalia jokes. I go to public school, so that’s nothing new for me.

Neither is misogyny. Despite the lack of girls in the program, there were still a couple of female staff members, some with heavy military experience who deserved that unconditional respect given to the other male veterans. This didn’t stop the catcalling, unfortunately. One of the younger workers was even asked personal questions about her body (like her weight) by a particularly immature camper. Instead of defending these women or chastising the boys for their insensitivity, the male leaders of the camp asked the women to reconsider their outfits (which were completely appropriate by the way). I am not going to make excuses for this behavior, but I suppose being separated from the opposite gender must make you forget that they exist and have feelings. There is no other explanation for what they did next.

On the final full night of the camp, we decided to put on a talent show… with a little twist. A female equivalent of this camp was going on at the same time, so three representatives from that group were sent two hours to come to the show. When the girls walked through the doors of the assembly hall, all 400 boys erupted in screams and cheers as if they were the first girls that they had ever seen. I passed this off as patriotic enthusiasm for the democratic process, but you could see the discomfort on the girls’ faces. When they got up on stage to say their names, there was a full standing ovation followed by whistles and vulgar comments on their appearance (you can imagine what they were saying).

I was completely appalled by my fellow campers’ reactions to say the very least. These girls, the “best and brightest” West Virginia has to offer, were being sexualized in front of 400 boys that they had never met before. They were gawked at and objectified. As the boys’ eyes were fixed upon the three young women, they weren’t thinking of their intelligence or leadership ability. The only things the boys saw were their bodies.

It didn’t end there. Between acts, the girls read off raffle tickets for prizes, and whenever a boy would come up to receive his price, he took a little extra. After sliding in touches and feels to the girls, the boy would be heralded as an “American hero” or a “god.” One kid even slipped the girls five dollar bills, lowering youth leaders to practically prostitutes.

Throughout the entire shindig, the administrator of the camp (whose daughter happened to be present) made countless sexual jokes. I would love to say what they were, but they feel way to dirty to come out of my mouth. While the boys exploded with laughter, the girls would slump back in their seats. I can’t imagine how they may have felt during the three-hour show, but I do know that this is how any woman feels whenever she is catcalled on the street by stranger or told to smile like her only purpose in life is aesthetic appeal. This needs to stop.

I actually went up and talked to some of the female workers who witnessed it all transpire. That’s when she told me how she and her coworkers had been treated all throughout the week. The saddest thing is when she admitted she “just ignores it.”

I am so disappointed in myself that I ignored it too. The entire week consisted of being told to fight for what we believe in, and I failed to do so. If I have one regret, it’s leaving that camp without speaking out against how they acted. It was disgusting. These boys are supposed to be the “leaders of tomorrow” yet they behaved like pigs. If this group of self-involved, sexist, and degrading children represent the future of our country, Lord help us all.

The next time you see anything like this happen to ANYONE, I urge you to do something about it.