I will never forget the day I learned what it means to be a woman. It wasn't the "The Talk", the conversation about how 'my body would start to change'. or the way I would look at boys differently than I did before. The day I learned what it means to be a woman was the day a man cornered me in a secluded aisle of the Target grocery store, grabbed my wrist, and almost did unspeakable things to me. Fortunately, nothing horrific happened, but that day, I learned exactly what it meant to live in a man's world. I learned to wear baggier clothes, to carry pepper spray and a pocket knife, to do anything possible to deter any unwanted advances. I learned that day, a day many women can most likely relate to, yet somehow, the plight of women all over the world is still perceived as inconsequential. To me, feminism is defined as any woman, cis or trans, that lives in a man's world, and actively tries to better the lives of herself and the women around her. I used to, like many others, believe in the "not like other girls" stance. I would put my nose up at anything remotely 'girly' and scoff at the latest trends like VSCO. But over time I realized how even thinking like that was giving into the harmful stereotypes men have placed on women with passions. Why can't women just be allowed to enjoy themselves and be able to do what they want without the fear of being murdered or having worse done to them? A woman can't even walk home in the dark for fear that a man might come and do unspeakable acts to her. If anything does, the first thing asked is, "Well, what was she wearing?" How is that okay? How is it okay to dismiss what happened because of what she was wearing? The answer is that it's not okay, and it never will be okay. Feminism is extremely important, especially in a time where a man born in the 20th century can pass laws to restrict what a woman can and cannot do with her body, and vital to the continued suffrage of women. Women live in a man's world, and everything in this world leads back to men. Just forty years ago, a woman couldn't start her own bank account. How absurd is that! Feminism is what keeps our rights. It's the barricade between our rights being called into question and the furthering of not just our lives, but the women of the next generation. My mother, who is my biggest role model, still suffers from the misogyny of men fifteen years into her job! She is perhaps the biggest supporter of the feminist movement, going as far as to campaign in her own office to protest the amount of injustice she received from her male coworkers. Growing up, she would always remind me to never let anyone, especially a man, boss me around. To never let misogyny get to me, and to always uplift the women around me. I admit, I forgot all about her teachings until the day that still scars me, but I never forgot her lesson after that. Even at a private Christian school, I still strive to further the rights of women there. Only men are allowed on the schoolboard and teachers even preach about wives being subservient to their husbands. But us girls share looks, share ways to stay safe, and share our livelihoods, and slowly, we're working towards a brighter future for future graduating women.

Change is such a big hassle, for such a small word. As defined by Oxford Dictionary, change is "to replace (something) with something else, especially something of the same kind that is newer or better". Applying this definition to the change I would most wish to see in this world, I would want to further the rights of Queer POCs (People of Color). This answer would be the obvious one. Considering the social and political climate in America and other countries currently, it would make sense that one would want racism and homophobia to come to a halt. Racial injustice is not a new idea in America, not since its creation in 1776, or in other, older parts of the world, nor has the disgust with anything considered "other". Yet somehow, so many refuse to open his or her eyes and realize the injustices going on in our world, heck in our very schools! So many men and women are blind to the microaggressions, "unseeing of color", and "the Bible says its a sin", that he or she doesn't realize the damage racism, tighter restrictions, and rights can cause, that impact the way Queer POCs are regarded in legal documents and rights. As a Queer POC in America (AAPI) I experience firsthand the way people, mostly older men and women, treat those considered "different". I see the POCs, especially Queer ones, are treated, not just in Southern states like Texas, the state I live in, but everywhere. From denied jobs, assault, and murder, to hate crimes and slurs, the racism and bigotry regarding POCs are so prevalent, it's sickening. Every day, the rights of Queer people are being stripped, changed, and restricted. If I had the power and influence I would absolutely, immediately change Queer Rights for the better. Trans men and women, lesbians, non-binary, and other queer people live every single day in fear for their rights to live. I'm a POC in America, one that was not born in America, so I could never hold a political office, but if I could, I would run, just for the slightest chance that I could change the lives of Queer POCs for the better. However, despite my inability to run for a political office, the change I want to see in the world is still attainable. By supporting politicians whose goals, wishes, and beliefs align with mine, I can work to further the lives of Queer POCs. One vote might not seem like a lot, but every vote counts, no matter what. Change is always happening, and as a part of the Class of 2025, I strive to make the world and those around me a happier place for the future, and hopefully live to see the changes I wish for: rights for the Queer POCs of the world.