BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Stopping sexism

By Elizabeth Kliakhandler, age 14 | May 1, 2016

Click the Buzz Me button to receive email notifications when this writer publishes a new article or a new article in this column is published.

Elizabeth Kliakhandler, a first-year student at Lamar High School, wants to raise awareness of gender inequality.

I am always looking for interesting opportunities to volunteer and get involved in my community. I have spent time volunteering at local pet shelters, but I have been searching for something that would really help me grow as a person.

This year, I decided to download a book called A History of U.S. Feminisms by Rory Dicker, simply for education. However, this book really opened up my eyes to the injustices of gender inequality and how sexism still exists in the present. After reading this book, I began researching these occurrences in the many different countries of our world. Could this really be true? Wasn’t gender equality already a thing? Apparently not.

I found that many people, primarily women, are still facing discrimination and violence today. A woman in San Paulo is assaulted every 15 seconds (source: The Globalist, 2014). This is an ongoing problem, and change must be made. As I researched, I decided that I had to make a difference.

With the help of my classmates, I have put up several posters in school reminding both teachers and students to treat people equally regardless of sex. I see this as a daily reminder to my school that no matter who you are, you deserve to be treated with respect and should show others the same.

I have also started a blog in which I discuss gender preference around the world. Additionally, I am planning on writing a petition to several large companies against the sexualization of women in advertisements. I am also looking to volunteer for the organization DoSomething.org and am currently fundraising to donate to that cause. This may not have been exactly the volunteer opportunity that I initially expected, but it sure is a great one.

Editor’s note: Elizabeth also is editor of our School Buzz blog at Lamar High School. Check out all School Buzz blog posts here.

Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to [email protected]. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.