Fearing the Loss of Women's Rights

11/1/2024

By Maelie L., Grade 11

What would you do if every day you woke up afraid your rights could be taken away?

I grew up with a mother and father both in the business world. I grew up thinking my mom could do anything. She was a superhero, a storm, relentlessly pursuing what she wanted. My dad always supported her dreams, her ambitions, and her desires. Now, at 17 years old, my greatest fear is that women like my mother, one day, will be denied the chance to pursue their dreams, as so many other women did in the past.

What if I aspire to as much as my mom did? Will I be stopped? You might be asking, why do I say that? I'll tell you why.

I am a 17-year-old girl, and I wake up every day with the fear that if the wrong person rises to power, I’ll never be able to live the life I want to live because my rights have been taken away by some policy or new law.

As a Canadian, I’m terrified of losing my rights, of being told that my voice, my body, my choices are no longer mine. What if I end up with a husband who doesn’t support me the way my dad supported my mom? What if he doesn’t care about my rights because he thinks the economy is doing fine under a leader who disregards women? People say it doesn’t affect us here, but it does. The world is interconnected and rather small.

Look at Afghanistan, where after the Taliban regained control in 2021, and women were banned from attending universities, working in most jobs and even appearing in public without a male guardian. Look at Iran, where women are still being imprisoned for protesting their right to remove their hijab or for advocating for basic freedoms.

We are erasing the progress made by countless women who fought and sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today. In the United States, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, taking away a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. Millions of women across the U.S. suddenly lost control over their reproductive choices, setting a dangerous precedent for future rights to be stripped away.

Those women who fought for these rights for years would be devastated to see that everything they achieved is being dismantled.

We are allowing individuals who do not respect women and their fundamental rights to hold the highest offices in the world—and we're seeing a rise in nationalism that prioritizes privilege and fosters division. Women are part of the groups being targeted. Just look at the statements made by a former U.S. president who has been accused of sexual misconduct by over 25 women and was even found liable for sexual abuse in a court case in 2023. Yet he still has the power to influence millions of people. He encourages a culture where disrespecting women is normalized and even excused by those in power.

And still, many people are saying, “It’s okay.”

I’m here to say it’s not okay. Women, immigrants, people of color—we live with the fear of losing everything, every day. And you, sitting in this room, the future leaders of this world, have you ever been afraid of losing your rights or seeing women around you regress in society as their rights are being removed from them after so many years of battle?

We need to open our eyes, each one of us here. Your mother, your grandmother, your wife, your sister and even your future wife and potentially daughter—they could lose their rights because you think some big ego man is a good leader. Do you want your children to look up to someone like that? Our generation will look up to the leaders of this world and will aspire to become like them. The leaders of our countries are supposed to be an example to follow. Would you want them to treat their mother the way some of these persons treat women? Would you want your sons to grow up thinking it’s okay to disrespect girls? And what if your daughter had no right to speak, no right to pursue her dreams?

Think about that before you say you want someone like that leading the world.

Being at Stanstead filled me with hope. Watching my best friends excel in sports once dominated by men, proving that women can break any barrier, has been empowering. Seeing women as teachers, coaches and students on their path to greatness has brought me immense pride. So imagine the damage if the wrong person took control. We've only just started making real progress in women’s sports and leadership. This progress needs to continue!

I want to be like my mom when I grow up, and I want someone to support me the way my dad supported her. But every day, I’m scared. Scared that the world my mom fought to thrive in is slipping away.

I am asking all to try understanding the disappointment we, as women, feel watching the world regress. I am asking you to fight alongside all the women in your life for their rights. I am asking you, all of you, the leaders of tomorrow, to continue being the awesome persons you are: inclusive, open and allies to women.

I do not think we should be fighting for rights that should never have been up for debate. I am a student. I am an athlete. I work. I love. I help.

Recognizing everyone's rights and liberties starts from each one of us. You can all impact the positive change that this world so desperately needs. You can speak out! You can be allies and make things better. I implore you all to consider how you can do this!