By Brooke Rudisill
The Millennium Campus Network kick-started their three-day conference at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL on Oct. 10. With the buzz regarding the HeForShe campaign that has spread awareness all over the world, delegates were pleased that one of the eight United Nations' Millennium Development Goals that will be discussed this weekend is gender equality.
The movement HeForShe is focused on eliminating all aspects of sexism. UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson spoke at the UN Conference held in New York recently. She said that in order to eradicate gender inequality, both women and men have to work together in order to make a difference.
Kevin Studer, a senior at Lynn and Director of Public Relations Intern for MCN, is one of the many men who have taken a stand towards making a change in this world.
"I've grown up with extreme influences from four very powerful women in my life," said Studer. "I don't think it's right that these women are treated any less, or I am treated any better, solely because of the gender we were born as."
The conference held this weekend has brought students from all over the world together in one location to discuss ideas and cultural views on major world issues, such as gender inequality, that still exist in this day and age.
In order to eliminate gender inequalities, men and women must join forces as a whole to destroy all parts of sexism. Together, the population needs to stop domestic abuse towards not only women, but men as well. Women deserve to be paid the same amount as their fellow male peers, sex trafficking and child marriage needs to come to an end and women need to stop being so self-critical of themselves by comparing their body images to others who have been distorted by Photoshop on magazine covers.
The HeForShe campaign also focuses on destroying the stereotypes that come along with being born a male. In our society, men are targeted as less manly if they seek help for depression, domestic abuse, rape or even eating disorders. Gender does not make individuals any less human.
"Men need to understand that emotions are part of human nature and no matter what the issue is, it is okay to be able to talk about it without fear of being degraded in today's society," said David Gall, junior at Lynn. "I think this movement emphasizes the fact that men and women can show their true nature without being labeled with traditional stereotypes."
Women struggle with having their opinions taken seriously and society emphasizes the ideas that girls should be subservient at a young age. Femininity has been seen as being weak; males have been locked in the stereotype of being less of "a man" if they show any emotions that portray weakness.
#HeForShe has been trending all over social media for the past few weeks. This is only the start of a world changing movement that this generation is in the works of establishing. The Millennium Campus Conference is hoping to succeed with the creations of partnerships and connections with student leaders all over the world in faiths that issues such as gender inequality will soon be resolved.
Photo Credits: Kevin Studer