Elementary Feminisms: Accepting People As They Are

By Caleb Peterson

People don’t always get the rights they deserve, and are punished for things they have no control of. People get killed or even kill themselves because they’re not normal or pure. For example, I read an article recently, in a small village in India a young girl was raped and after, was stoned to death because she was “impure” and ruined a marriage. The man who raped her had no punishment, and that’s not right.

Teens kill themselves because they can’t be who they are without being judged. People will find the littlest thing wrong with you and make you feel lesser of yourself. When you aren’t heard your voice dies out, soon you become an empty shell of who you were. You feel sad and worthless and wonder if it would really matter if you were gone, and that’s not okay.

If we could be heard and be accepted for who we really are, the world would be a much better place. No one should be judged based on their sexual orientation or gender; sadly, we’re not all accepting of the things people can’t change. When we do, the world and the people in it will be the greatest they can be.

_________________________________________

Caleb Peterson, 13 years old, is a student at Mansfeld Middle School in Tucson, Arizona. He participated in the LoveMaps Workshop at the University of Arizona.