On August 15, 2016 (I say the date so you know how recent this event occurred) I sat at a table directly across the street from the University of Cincinnati's campus and worked on a document on my laptop. It was about 9:00 pm and a man timidly approached me; he was clearly nervous and attempting not to scare me.
"Hi, I noticed you from across the circle and I wanted to let you know that I thought you were really pretty. But I know it's dark out and this seems kind of creepy, so I don't want to scare you."
I thought he seemed nice and was shockingly polite for somebody that had the nerve to directly walk up and talk to me. As we all know flirting can be painstakingly awkward, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and introduced myself. Then he said one of the strangest things I've ever heard.
"You look like a nursing major, ya know?"
My eyes widened and my hands tensed over my keyboard. Had he really gone as far to stereotype nursing majors as only pretty girls? Not as women who put in countless hours to a field that they are not only overly dedicated to but will also continue to do for the rest of their lives? Women in every field of study can be beautiful, but maybe I had misinterpreted his intention. So I corrected him
"Nope. Math major."
I decided to not mention that I am triple majoring in Mathematics, economics and Spanish seeing as how math is my primary major. Then he asked one of the most insulting things I have ever been witness to.
"What is a blond doing in math?"
Now I want it to be noted that this was in 2016. A year when women are not only in powerful positions, but a woman is running for president. The President of our free nation and she is supported by the Democratic party. On top of that, she is blond.
Sexism is not only rampant, but people continue to ignore it. It used to be widely assumed that women would not speak up about underhand insults like this. That they would accept the stereotyping and only giggle and move on. But now women are empowered. We know that we deserve to be treated like equals. Not patronized like children.
What is a blond doing in math? Getting a degree. An education. A future so she can fight off future ignorance and pave the way for future blond women and women in general to do whatever they want. A future without stereotyping and insulting jokes. A future where people aren't surprised about what women want to major in if it is difficult.
A future where a blond woman can be a nurse or a mathematics, economics and Spanish triple major because hair color, gender and race do not have an impact on any decision that a woman makes.
