I feel most powerful when I am many feet above the ground, twirling through the air.

When I first mentioned gymnastics to my parents, the risk of injury naturally worried them. But by the end of middle school, I was juggling my academics, athletic schedule, and other commitments. Gymnastics disciplined me in many ways: I learned to be hardworking and patient with myself, to be supportive of my teammates, and to be confident. When I wore a leotard during competitions, I felt so fierce and powerful in my body; being able to show my grace and elegance in front of an audience built up my confidence and self-esteem over time. 
 
Although wearing a skintight leotard exposes many parts of a gymnast’s body, never in my life have I been sexualized in a leotard. This is kind of shocking, considering that gymnasts are practically half-naked in their leotards. Ironically, my body was more sexualized in other contexts, such as wearing regular clothes or even school uniforms. The irony of receiving respect in a leotard but being sexualized in casual wear has always worried me deeply. What worries me, even more, is knowing the fact that there are other young gymnasts around the world who may be sexualized in both leotards and casual wear. Even with my uniform skirt at thigh length, I was often harassed by creepy men on the street. This is just one of the many manifestations of the misogyny that is deeply rooted in society – and one that many girls experience from a very young age.

In my many attempts to spread awareness of this issue to my family, my parents’ conservative beliefs always end our dinner in arguments. But I have always resolutely believed that this taboo topic needs to be brought to light.

The media plays a big role in propagating misogyny. Growing up, many television shows and films I watched portrayed men as tough and dominating, and women as sensitive and dependent. While this can’t be blamed on anyone specifically, our society has been conditioned to think of men and women as their stereotypes. The intense exposure we have to the media has impacted our psychology, and more importantly, the way women are treated.  

In my junior year of high school, the yearbook incorporated a new “Social Justice'' section to spread awareness of issues like racial equality, LGBT+ experiences, and women’s rights. As a yearbook editor, I was proud to be a part of this decision. The experience of contributing to this project helped me realize a childhood dream of mine: being a magazine editor and being able to change the media’s representation of women. In my senior year, I rose to the role of editor-in-chief of the yearbook – and I don’t plan on stopping after high school.

If the media can represent women as equal to men; if society can openly have conversations about the issue and stigma of sexualizing women; and if our generation can educate future generations about decency and respect, then I believe that one day, we can achieve the gender equality that we deserve. And I’ve come to realize that this change can start with me.