Taking a Stand by Bailey

Taking a Stand by Bailey - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

"We, uh, we think that the balloon boobs should be allowed," One calm Tuesday afternoon, I was painting a rather misshapen heart on the Women's Rights Club spirit banner when a group of four nervous boys traipsed into the room. With matching Trump shirts and blond hair alike, their eyes flitted nervously around what I'm sure was an intimidating crowd of confused teenage girls. Clearing his throat, one of the boys hesitantly announced their request: to reinstate the cross-dressing tradition of the powder puff cheerleaders.
I found it difficult not to feel compassion the boys; their intentions appeared innocuous and they seemed genuinely confused at the change. After a few moments of dialogue, however, in which I explained our reasoning and the perspective of women and the LGBT community, the conflict was resolved. The conversation held no anger or self-righteousness; in fact, everybody in the room seemed to truly listen to the opposing side and take their view into consideration. The discussion ended beautifully, and I’m glad to say the experience is familiar to me.
I have a reputation around my school for being a social justice advocate. I purposefully try to engage my peers in meaningful conversations in hopes that they will begin to think critically about their opinions. I believe that equality is an incredibly important discussion to have. We can't shy away from hard topics even if they don’t seem to affect us.
My activism as a whole is undoubtedly my most important contribution to my community. The environment at my school has certainly become more welcoming in the past few years, and I’m glad to say I contributed to the change. However, I don't claim to have single-handedly made my school into a utopia of equality; in fact, my efforts are far from over. Furthermore, it would have been impossible for me to accomplish what I have on my own. The social justice clubs I lead and participate in are full of caring, inspired individuals who work together to create change. Together, we think, grow, and take action in pursuit of a better world. I will never cease to stand up for equal rights, but with any luck, in the future I may just not have to.