I picked a picture of a sports bra. To me, the sports bra represents the constraints and challenges I endure due to my femininity. It was not until I got older and into middle school that I realized gender had such a significant impact on my life, how I was treated, how I came across, what people thought of me. I grew up with an older brother and never felt like I was different or treated differently; we did everything together and did all the same things. It wasn't till middle school that I realized that I would be treated differently based on my gender. It is an automatic reaction to sex categorize instantly. Before we know it, we are framed by gender, affecting how we are perceived and treated (MacDonald & Dobrowolsky, 2020). Being a woman results in inevitable forms of status subordination (Fraser, 2013). Forms of status subordination include sexual harassment, assault, domestic violence, tribalizing, objectifying, marginalization, exclusion (Fraser, 2013). 

The sports bra photo represents a defining moment in my adolescents that opened my eyes to the objectifying inequality between men and women. It was a sweltering hot day, and for P.E, I had a 5km run outside. The run went all through down and looped back to the school. A group of boys in my class ran past me with all their shirts off. I thought to myself that it was a good idea and took my shirt off and ran in my sports bra. Finishing the run back at the school, I saw all the boys lying down on the field with their shirts off. I never thought twice about it. My P.E. teacher saw me and then proceeded to scold me, stating what I did was completely inappropriate, and I made the school and myself look bad by sexualizing and displaying my body. There was no double standard, and my gender played a major role in the reaction and backlash I got opposed to the boys. The objectification of my body made me feel belittled.

This was the first time I felt truly shocked and enraged about the inequality. Androcentric value patterns influence and reinforce everyday oppressive interaction (Fraser, 2013). Gender differences are constructed simultaneously “from both economic differentials and institutionalized patterns of cultural value, but both maldistribution and misrecognition are fundamental to sexism” (Fraser, 2013). My actions are often defined as deviant or a "problem," and disciplinary actions and reactions have been used to oppress me further (MacDonald & Dobrowolsky, 2020). 

The older I have gotten, the more sexualized my body has become. The sexualization of my body has controlled what I do, how I dress, and how I act. I am afraid to dress in a way that shows my body because then I’ll be labelled a “slut,” but I will be called a “prude” if I dress too conservatory. If I work out, I wear a shirt over my sports bra because if I don’t, “I’m looking for attention” the unsolicited stars and comments are allowed because I have invited them by dressing in a certain way. I hide my emotions in fear of being labelled crazy, bossy, hysteric, emotional, or irrational because no one would want a girl who acts like that. Subordination and silence are praised. I would never dare walk home late at night alone or leave my drink unattended. Gender is power; with power comes oppression and domination (MacDonald & Dobrowolsky, 2020).

Gender inequality is continuously reinforced through everyday interactions, institutions, and social norms. Growing up in the 2000s, although these are turbulent times for feminism, gender inequality has still shaped and controlled my life.