As a young woman, I don't ask for as much as I should. I understand my place in this world, I am paying my dues and I don't ask for much. However, though I may not be asking for some things, I damn well deserve them. I have earned it.

Respect.

I deserve respect. I deserve respect from my friends, family and peers. I deserve respect from my superiors and my inferiors. Why?

I have earned it.

Being a young woman in today's society is not easy. Growing up, I have been taught to always be aware and never caught off guard. I have been taught to never walk alone, day or night, for fear of being attacked. I have been taught to live life with a sense of fear deep in my heart. I don't deserve this.

I am a young woman, student and collegiate athlete. I do not have time to constantly check behind corners for the negative aspects lurking in the dark. I am too busy working, putting in effort and bettering myself to be completely preoccupied with the unfortunate world that surrounds me. I am too busy striving for success, reaching it and continuing to push on. I am too busy proving myself to those who thought I would never make it.

I deserve respect.

I make mistakes, yet have learned to take responsibility for them. I have grown, adapted and succeeded. I have accepted myself for who I am and am learning to love myself. I am figuring out the world.

I deserve respect.

I spend my days pushing myself, forcing myself to strive for better. I spend my days worrying about the feelings and emotions of those close to me. Countlessly, I put more effort than others in certain aspects of my life. Most times it goes unnoticed, unappreciated or taken for granted. I don't ask for much in return, only one thing.

Respect.

Women, in general, are treated unequally at times. The big battle being faced in today's society is the gender pay gap. The United States Women's National Soccer Team has even launched a campaign titled "Equal Play, Equal Pay." This campaign encompasses the idea that women athletes deserve the same treatment and pay as male athletes. This is a larger example of how women in general deserve more respect than what is currently being received.

We are equal. We are the same. We are no less. We do just as good of work, sometimes better. We do things that go unnoticed, things that would otherwise fail. We strive to succeed, to find opportunities in which we will thrive. We work hard, forced to always prove ourselves. We are forced to fight for the one thing we have already earned:

Respect.

So give it to us, because we damn well deserve it.