How To Make A Brighter Future

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Dr. Alice Evans: Feminist Activism to Close the Gender Gap

How To Make A Brighter Future

    As human beings, it should be natural for us to want the best lives we can possibly have. We should have the desire to progress forward with innovations and ideas in order to improve our quality of life. While this is true for almost everyone, some people can be more concerned with themselves without considering those around them. This isn't the best mindset to have, as you can't have a quality lifestyle if others around you are constantly miserable. This is something that I believe in, which is why I want to work towards taking part in activism in the future. 

    To start, we have to look at what activism means. In simple terms, activism can be described as having the courage to "speak out and address the problems in our lives and communities" (Shaw & Lee 705). This can be in simple ways, such as talking about it with people you know and spreading awareness, or in larger ways, like attending protests and working towards the changes personally. Something that I think is important to note is that activism doesn't always have to be these large gestures, although they do certainly help. They can also be understated, causing other people to care about the cause as much as you do so they can help spread awareness. Awareness that there's a problem is the first step to change, after all, so I think that aspect of activism is just as important.

    To be a feminist isn't just to cry out that women should be in power, although that would certainly be a step in the right direction. Feminism is caring about everyone, not just women, and getting the playing field of society to an even place. Feminism, as I define it, includes speaking up for other women, including trans women, the LGBTQ community, people of color, and many others that don't fit into the standard boxes that society has created. By doing this, we can ensure that everyone has a fair chance at a happy life with the opportunities they're granted.

    In order to really carry out your beliefs, though, there are a couple things you can consider doing. One of those things is setting priorities on the issues and topics you want to focus on and advocate for. While it would be nice to aspire for change in every area of the world, it can get tiring and overwhelming for you as an individual. To put it simply, "Figure out your truths and priorities based on your own values and politics. Decide where to put your energy, and figure out which battles are worth fighting" (Shaw & Lee 713). By doing this, you can also ensure that your energy is well-spent and valuable to the cause. If you don't feel as strongly towards something, you can instead choose to use that time towards something you do truly care for.

    Something else you should consider doing is being conscious of how you and others around you affect the environment. Having a clean and sustained planet to live on should be a top priority; after all, any progress made besides that will be pointless if it is made in an unhealthy place. Something that every activist should be striving for is a clean Earth, eradicating "behaviors that bring about global climate change, environmental pollution, and species eradication" (Shaw & Lee 716). If we keep in mind how our actions are affecting the world around us, we can at least ensure that everyone will have a healthy place to live. Some areas are more affected by such environmental problems than others, so it should be something to consider while being an activist.

    Changes can be made in big or small ways in terms of everyone working towards a better future. You don't have to be the wealthiest person in the world to achieve change. All you have to do is dedicate some of your time to the cause that makes you feel like you're really making a difference. Do all you can with what you have to work towards a better world for all of us. Some people tend to think of only themselves, even those that are activists, so strive to be different and strive to be better.

Works Cited

“Dr Alice Evans: Feminist Activism to Close the Gender Gap.” SoundCloud, https://soundcloud.com/imf-podcasts/dr-alice-evans-feminist.

Shaw, Susan M., and Janet Lee. Gendered Voices, Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Oxford University Press, 2020.

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