By Sophia Moreno
Cover Editor
I don’t know if this is a universal experience for women, but men seem to love scrutinizing me. When I was as young as four, people would tell me that boys’ cruel attitude was because they liked me and wanted my attention. When I was 10, a boy at school sexually harassed several girls for months—including me. I was only in fourth grade and it was my first year in TC—yet the principal, who was a man, told me to “put it under the rug” and forget about it.
Middle school was the worst time of my life. Boys persistently claimed I was a slut and called me a lesbian when I didn’t give them attention—which to them was worse than being called a slut. Outside of school, I received catcalls, unwanted stares and advances from men far older than me.
Now in high school, I’m still encountering boys who feel the need to push their misogynistic and insecure feelings onto me. I’ve had boys spread rumors that I’ve sent others nudes, while again thinking I’m lesbian. They’ve followed me home, called me insults and slurs, yelled at me and embarrassed me while I’m with my friends.
To be fair, not all of these harassments are unprovoked; I’ve called boys out for wearing hate speech attire, spreading rumors about girls and bullying others. I also publicly express my opinions, whether that be writing articles for Rampage, frequently posting on Instagram, going to protests or helping organize events such as the ICE walkout. This doesn’t justify their actions, but I think it gives a deeper insight into why these boys act like this.
Their behavior is the result of the misogynistic behavior around us, where the patriarchy seeks to violate and humiliate women.
Many claim the new rise in feminism is “too much,” yet women across multiple states don’t have the right to gender affirming care, healthcare, equal pay and safety. We are still the ultimate targets of scrutiny, of hate crimes, of abuse. Sometimes I wonder if it’s better to say nothing at all, to stop being bold and to just let people hurt me even more. Life is hard right now, but I will never put anything under the rug. Every woman carries the weight of thousands of girls subject to the abuse, rape and pain of misogyny. I carry this weight on my shoulders, and it’s what keeps me fighting every day.