How can I help gender equality?

 

Remember that women go through a lot. Men and other women are constantly putting them down for their appearance. Everywhere they go, they are told to look their best. On social media, they are pressured to look beautiful and to show skin, but not too much skin, so they don't get called a slut.

Women are taken for granted and taken advantage of every day. Most women don't want to start a conversation with a guy only to have him eyeing her body parts instead of listening to what she's saying.

Recognize that men can be pressured, too. They can be abused and taken advantage of, just like women can. Men can be victims.

Men are constantly pressured to hide their feelings, to not show anything but aggression and anything that validates masculinity. Men should be able to cry without judgment. Women do it all the time—it's encouraged, even, to express their feelings.

If you're not sure if someone is a man or a woman, ask. Ask what their pronouns are and what they preferred to be called. Treat them like anyone else, because they are people too.

People who are transgender and non-binary transgender, especially people who are non-binary, go through more shit than anyone. I don't know what being non-binary feels like, but I know how it feels to have your gender—your whole identity—ignored. Like it doesn't matter. Especially by the people you love.

In a perfect world, these would be everyday, normal things. But it's not a perfect world, so this is the best I can do.