In October, a girl by the name of Malala was making waves once again. She first caught the public’s attention when she stood up for her right to an education in Pakistan. She then received more attention when the members of the international terrorist group, the Taliban, shot her through the head on a school bus. Everyone expected her to die, until the miraculous happened. Malala survived a near fatal hit by perseverance, and is now back and fighting harder and harder for her right as both a child and a woman. It started to make me realize how brave a person could be. It also made me understand that education is the fundamental building block to a safe, happy, and healthy life, and the fact that she is being denied that, like so many other girls, is something beyond atrocious. It is time we stood up and fought for our sisters in those countries to have access to education.

In Saudi Arabia, women are prohibited from driving, and are seen as inferior to men. In Egypt, women have little to no divorce rights. These are examples of the sexism and hatred against women in the Middle East, and it all starts with their lack of school. With school, women can learn to stand up and fight for their right to be equal; they can start businesses and become strong and independent. Many of the countries the women live in and terrorist groups near them are strongly opposed. It has been like that for ages, and now is a time for modernization.

As people who live in a free country where everyone is educated, we all need to stand up for those who are illiterate, and all charity starts at home. While America is an equal country, it is still harder for women to get jobs than men or get jobs with equal pay as men. Women in this country have been continuously vocal for their rights, and it is important to be heard. It is also important that the girls in countries, countries where they do not have a voice, to hear us.

We also live in a wealthy and affluent area of a country, and we need to help raise money and spread the word about others who do not have equality, because it is important not to take what we have for granted. The other day my friend asked, “how can we help if we’re just kids?” Whether we are adults or children, it makes no difference, and it even pushes us further because we can connect with them on a personal level. We all go through the same things in our adolescent years, no matter where we live, and we all can understand teenage problems. Also, children are the future of the planet, and we must be heard, because one day we will take the place of the current adults. It is vital that we get support from our schools, families, communities, and even countries. We must band together for those who cannot.

Another question was why am I, a male, standing up for the opposite sex? You could ask the same thing about whites and blacks during the Civil Rights Movement, or for straights and gays standing together for a cause. It is all for equality, and I believe what body parts we are born with do not define how smart we are, or our mental capabilities.

If we all band together against hatred and unfairness, justice can come out of evil, good can come our of prejudice, and education can come for women.