A Letter to the future generation of girls:

I was hoping that I was able to write a letter describing a monumental moment in America's history and in every woman's life all over the country: the first female president. I was hoping I could write that the Glass Ceiling, which has remained unbreakable for centuries and has caged every Woman that got close to even touching it, had been shattered. Unfortunately this letter is not that. I am so sorry we have failed you. It makes me sick to my stomach you and your sisters of your generation have to grow up surrounded by men and women who preach, "You can do anything you set your mind too", yet elected a man that believes in that statement only when it is directed to boys. It is troubling that as some of you get older you are going to look for a strong, empowered female role model in your household and will only find a woman that holds her tongue while your dad talks about the "stupid women" at his work, forgetting you too one day will be a woman. It is devastating some of you will have your heart broken by your dad before a boy ever could, leaving you without an example of how a man is supposed to act. It is concerning while you watch TV, you will see women fighting over a man or you'll see a headline on the news like this, "Drunk Girl Gets Raped". It is disheartening as you learn about the government, you will find only 1 woman on the Supreme Court, yet over 435 white men in Congress. It is alarming when you manage to steal a peek at your mom's magazine you will see nothing but white, anorexic models praised for their "summer bodies" and a woman that is a healthy size, speculated to be pregnant. There are no words or apologies that can excuse the damage that society has done in this election of 2016. Now is the time to make sure you know some things.No matter what, no one can touch you without your permission.Your body is yours and yours only. If a man or boy touches you in a wrong way, it is not your fault, it is theirs. You have a right to say no and make sure they never touch you again.There are so many more important things than being beautiful.Despite what TV or men or society try to tell you, your brain is your power, not your body. It is more important to strive to be a leader and an activist than it is to be regarded as "hot" or "sexy".You are loved.Black, Latina, trans, bi, plus size, petite, Muslim, dark skinned, light skinned, Asian, and ALL YOUNG GIRLS belong here and are welcomed. You contribute amazing things in this world. weYour opinion matters.You have the possibility to change the world. You may think you are just another girl, but you are unrepeatable. You have endless possibilities and a whole world to explore.

I promise you and the future generation of females, I will fight for my rights and yours. This will not be an easy fight but it is necessary. The world is a scary and cruel place but there are people that are making sure by the time you are off to college, the glass ceiling will be shattered and women's rights will be human rights.