Sexism and Sadness

Let me tell you a true story. Two days ago, in my (predominantly male) further maths class, whilst we were having a conversation about the merits of spending £60 on a calculator that basically does A level Maths for you, one boy, whom I had previously thought of as one of the less obnoxious specimens in the class, suggested that the only use my friend and I could have for the money would be to spend it on "makeup and dollies". Unfortunately for him, I don't even think he was trying to be ironic. Needless to say, this got me rather angry, and I told him so in no uncertain terms (although I have an unfortunate tendency to stammer when I am angry, which tends to somewhat lessen the effect).

 But this is just a convoluted introduction to the main point of this tirade- the extent to which sexism is still prevalent, everywhere we look, and even more pressingly, the fact that so many people don't seem to care. The worst of it in my opinion, are the girls I see everyday who have no problem with their lives being limited by an accident of the industrial revolution- the friend who declares that she doesn’t “see the point of feminism”, those who are willing to build a (short) career based solely on their looks, or who decide not to go to university, so that they can stay close to their boyfriend. Those who make dismissive remarks can be shown wrong, and luckily there are now laws so that Women who do have ambition beyond high heels and motherhood will not find it completely impossible to follow (although there are exceptions). It is at those poor, deluded, miserable girls, and their parents and friends I want to shout. Really? Deep down in your heart you are happy to be seen as nothing but a layer of makeup and a short skirt? You will throw away so lightly decades of hard work and passion? And most of all, you are happy to prove them right?

The fact that so many are blind to the injustices that are going on around them (and in this I include the many other things that keep people from equality- I am just afraid this rant may be too long if I extend it to include this) makes my heart heavy. Physically- I’m sure there is no scientific basis for this, but I can feel it nonetheless. My friends, my parents, have told me that I am too angry about it, but I will leave you with a question. If we are not angry, how will anything ever change?