It is mandatory that as soon as you are awake you become picture ready- you have your clothes pressed on and makeup applied perfectly. Cover your shoulders, those are disgraceful. Hide your breasts, those are scandalous. Conceal your legs, those are deplorable. No burping. Ever. Back straight. Ankles crossed. Hands folded in your lap. Painted smile always in place. Do not ever let anyone see your true emotions. Conceal, conceal, conceal.

Why is our society this way? Who determined this? Every day women are fighting tooth and nail against the glass ceiling that has been established ever since the doctor said, “It’s a girl.” It is time that we shatter that barrier.

As G.D. Anderson said, “Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” This quote is powerful in so many ways. It acknowledges that women have their own type of strength and don’t need help, the world needs to change their perspective. So many have the idea that women are destined to stay home and tend to the children, put their husband before themselves, and above all, not have an opinion. On anything. Ever.

Yet, in 2019, here we are. Changing people’s minds one at a time. Every moment that a woman stands up for herself, refuses to be walked on, or even takes a chance, they show the world that we will no longer be silenced. We will never sit still and simply look pretty. We have voices, we have opinions, we have thoughts, we deserve an education, we deserve to be paid equally, we deserve to be treated with respect, we deserve so much more than what we have now. And we will not stop until that glass ceiling is in minuscule pieces on the ground.