It is true: the end of sexism approaches.

You would not have chuckled reading this sentence if it were not for one insignificant detail: people’s disinterest in gender equity.

Some countries have achieved gender equality, which is somewhat true indeed. We have the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration of the Rights of Women, and various constitutions stating “men and women are equal in the eyes of the law”…

Then, why are we still fighting for gender equality?

(Gender equality and gender equity are two different things, but more on that later)

I am fighting for gender equity because in the years I have called myself a feminist, my greatest impasse has been to inspire people to believe in too.

I know I am a feminist, but my friend next door refuses to be one- in fact, she became quite “anti-feminist”. This is a result of the movement’s overall failure to make people care and act. It is easy not to care about an issue when you do not believe in being affected by it.

However, I have a secret weapon. As a writer and storyteller, I found a simple solution: stories. I am developing my “A Girl, A Story” campaign to document the stories of girls and young women on YouTube and blogs with elements of storytelling, youth empowerment, and imagination. I want girls to learn they are powerful. I want them to grow in love with people’s stories, to fall in love with their stories, just like I did with mine. To fall in love with the story they are writing for themselves.

Until then, we will be far away from achieving equity.