Diveristy

Diversity

The smell of fresh air and newly cut grass rushed into my nose as I stepped on the playground. It was a beautiful day out, and what a better way then to spend recess playing football with everyone. I found myself a small fifth grader running into the line to be chosen for a team. Numerous kids found themselves along a brick wall waiting to chosen by one of the captains. Some girls from the same grade also lined up and wanted to participate in the football game. Keeping in mind I was a little boy at the time and did not know anything about sexism, racism etc. Eventually the teams were chosen and the game could begin. However, not a single girl was chosen to be on either team. One girl decided to speak up and asked why any of the girls were not chosen to be on a team. Some of the boys said, “because you are girls and girls don’t play football with boys” and they all started laughing as the girls walked away to play their own games. I thought it was unfair but did not say anything because I thought it was the norm.

Having later on in life learning more about gender roles racism and sexism, I began to broaden my horizon on the matter. In reality I learned that not everyone is treated equal and are given the same respect as others, this is the harsh reality of life. Society as a whole has gotten better over the pass decades and is moving in the right direction. However, sexisms and all these problems are not completely eradicated from today’s life. Everyday people are faced with stereotypes, which are, “generalized, simplistic beliefs about the characteristics of a group; often unrelated to reality.” For instance back then in elementary school their was a stereotype that all girls were girly and should not play games that the boys played because they were consider inferior to the boys in athletics. Girls were not given the fair opportunity to participate in “boy games”. All these problems still go on today.

In the year 2017 if I was to see this happen in front of me, I would not have been silent. I would speak up and help everyone be equal. I would tell the people that they are being ignorant and sexist. I would let the girls play on the team. Sexism still goes on in today’s society, but it is improving year by year. I hope one day we will no longer have the issue on sexism. We are all made equal in my eyes. Stereotypes about girls do exist but I know many girls that prove it wrong, many of my female friends are more athletic then my male friends. I hope that one day we can live in a world completely free of sexism, and we can live happy in society.