n.  gen·der equal·​i·​ty |ˈjen-dər i-ˈkwä-lə-tē   

1 “Equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys.

Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. 

Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. 

Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women. 

Equality between women and men is seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centred development.” (European Institute for Gender Equality)

When we look at the world in a less binary way, respecting life universally means actively advocating for those who are marginalized. Since we are raised with embedded cultural norms, it can be hard to undo years and years of patriarchal brainwashing. This year, regardless of how you identify, take a few moments to consider the privilege you’ve been afforded and / or the oppression you’ve been subject to, simply because of how society interprets your gender expression.

(If any of the words above feel foreign, empower yourself with knowledge by clicking the link to the definition.) This is vocab class, remember? We are all learning, together.