The 2014 election just passed and as a young adult I felt a huge importance in voting. Being a college student in college gives me so much passion for politics due to the fact that the government is helping me so much on this journey to pursuing my dreams and passion to become a nurse. So many young adults do not see the significance in their vote until they are called to action, and I was. My pastor Rob McCoy ran for assembly this year for my district in Ventura County. To support him in this I went to a political debate and was able to see just how much this election means not only to my personal growth and future, but to my faith as a christian believer.  

I can honestly say that I felt like a small part of the election, however so much planning and community is involved in this political process. Meeting Rob McCoy was amazing because he was the first politician I have ever met and he was so real, it was almost like talking to a friend. When I went to turn in my ballot I knew I voting right. So many people were working for him on their spare time and making phone calls and going door to door as a community in support of Pastor McCoy. Becoming involved and seeing all they were doing gave me so much hope that the community would help him win TOGETHER.

Not only did I participate in the vote for Rob McCoy, but I was able to vote on the propositions that were important to me and my dreams. So many propositions are passed within healthcare which is extremely significant for me because I hope to become a Registered Nurse after college. These election effect my beliefs, my finances, my education, and my future career, and I wanted a say in each of these. 

As I pursue this education I keep in mind that after college I want to be able to make a good living, support a family, and pay off my student loans. All these things I hope to do with my life revolve around the political system and how the government will help and support me. 

The way I see it, you cannot complain about how the government is run, unless you personally put your say in it. I did, and though my pastor did not win, my voice was heard and I was able to become a citizen that upholds their civic duty and is responsible for the government that I live in. 

HE FOR SHE

The well-known actress Emma Watson from the Harry Potter Trilogy has recently caught my eye in a video in which she spoke in front of the United Nations on the issue of feminism. Many young people do not understand feminism and in today’s society it is considered a “bad word” by

those who do not know what it means. In case you do not know what feminism is, feminism is a movement for gender equality in regards to both men and women. It is common for people to think the opposite and think that it is solely for women’s equality however it affects both genders in the same way.

      It may not seem like it but women are still being discriminated against by society. Some of the issues brought up by Emma in the speech is women’s wages being less than men’s, men being unable to express their feelings due to society’s suppression, and women being called tom boys because of how they choose to dress and act at young ages.

      Apart from the obvious, one issue that I have thought about frequently is women’s inability to fight in the army. There is no proof that men are always stronger than women. Women are completely capable of fighting just as men are. Some women would be honored to have the opportunity to be at the front defending their country yet they are still not even given the opportunity due to their gender.

            On average women are paid only 70 cents to every dollar a man makes. Women are being held from their own money due to their gender. If you asked any woman working for a living, she would be against this gender discrimination, however they do not associate themselves with the word “feminist” for the fear that the word holds.

            Many women believe that being a feminist means that you will do nothing to serve a man, that you will not be a stay-at-home mother, that you will become the family bread winner, or that you will not cook dinner for your husband. These things that some women find a lot of pride in by serving their family. However, to be a feminist only means that you believe women should have equal right; I personally believe that woman should have the right to choose whether or not they want to be the stay-at home parent, and decide as a family, without assuming that she wants to give up her career completely. Women have just as much of a right to choose what to do with their lives with the same equality men are given.

            What most males do not realize is that they are not exempt from this gender discrimination. Men everywhere try daily to show their masculinity to their friends, families, and women. If a man is going on a date, he is told he must buy the meal or he could look like less of a man. If a man cries in front of people, he risks looking “girly” which can cause serious mental problems for them, which causes them to repress their feelings.

             If you are for gender equality, you are a feminist, and you may not even know it. So often we close our eyes to these small discriminations and pretend they are not there, it will take something big to actually start any sort of movement.

       

      If you would like to see Emma Watsons video please follow the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Dg226G2Z8