My topic of gender inequality is extremely important because over half of the United states population is being unfairly treated. In Vermont, there are massive inequalities and problems in the ways that we deal with males and females, and also with transgender persons. Our future is at stake in this situation. We are teaching our next generation to base our lifestyle on  only half the population, where the other half has an unequal share in life’s opportunities and very little voice that can be used to change that. We are telling our future generation how to live instead of letting them find a way of life for themselves,and defining them all in the same way.

The main conflicts I intend to focus on are stereotypes, transgender inequality, and unequal opportunities for men and women. Stereotypes, I am sad to say, are rampant everywhere. I asked several family members and friends about male versus female stereotypes, and was answered with the same reply, signifying that these stereotypes are deeply imbedded in our culture. For example, At my school, it is extremely rare for a girl to play football, or for a boy to play field hockey. These stereotypes restrict who we are and tell us how to be, limiting our ability to change the world. Issues surrounding transgender are largely centered in high schools, as this is a public place with gender-specific bathrooms where many students are discovering their own identity. Some people feel uncomfortable about sharing a bathroom with someone who is biologically a different gender. On the other hand, transgender persons often feel restricted in their decisions regarding choice of restroom. This was the case for AJ Jackson at the Green Mountain High school, where people complained about the former girl using a male bathroom. This last issue still has not been resolved. Finally, one of the most glaring examples of gender inequality is in the Vermont government. There has only been one female governor, and Vermont has never elected a woman to Congress. This is severely limiting women’s ability to make change in our society, a crucial right for any citizen, and a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Overall, on a test where 50 and 50 would indicate equal political success, women in Vermont received an 11.

There are many changes I would like to make around these issues. Firstly, I would like to do all I can to alter people’s mindsets about stereotypes. To accomplish this, I would like to employ the tried and tested technique of organizing conversations between people of different genders to alter people opinions based on the specific stories, perspectives and characteristics of the people they are talking to. I would also like to put together a presentation that will find its way into many classrooms around the state that challenge their views of gender separate bathrooms in the first place: “why do you think gender-separate bathrooms are important or necessary?” Finally, I would like to assist in the campaign of Sue Minter for governor, as I believe she will move Vermont in a better direction then Phil Scott, so this is an excellent opportunity to prove to Vermont that women can govern just as well as men.

Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1397BZfGIC4YvP7PuNCD8huiefJjwrba35fnOS88kLCQ/edit#slide=id.g1384516d75_0_25

sources:

“Chapter XVI. Age and Sex Composition of the Family.” Family Growth in Metropolitan America (n.d.): n. pag. Census.gov. May 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.