When children are young, no one thinks twice about boys and girls running around half naked and playing together. If anything, this kind of horsing around is met with a faint chastising and chuckling of a parent in the distance. That is a short stage of development, where the male and female bodies are viewed as equals.  Yet as children start to grow and their bodies begin to change, this equality is lost. As soon as a female begins to develop breasts, suddenly her body is sexualized, “R-rated,” and meant to be concealed. While females are in the midst of their most vulnerable stage of development, society reinforces that this change of their chest should be something to be ashamed of and needs to be concealed.

Growing up, this was all I knew, and it was never questioned. At a certain age, young girls are expected to begin wearing restricting undergarments, symbolic of girl’s becoming a woman. Though today when I look around the beach and wonder why if my chest looks so similar to that of a boy tanning, why is it that I should have to cover mine when he doesn’t? Suddenly looking around me, I realize how unjust society’s rules and standards are. If my breasts were the same size as that man's, then it is fair to say that this discrimination is not about what is actually on our  chest, but based solely on our gender? When I think about this, I become distressed. How will women ever be considered and treated as equals to men if their body cannot be as accepted in the same way a man’s body is accepted?

When I discuss this problem of gender equality with others, I often hear the response that women's bodies are already too sexualized and it has always been this way; therefore it cannot be reversed. I find this opinion to be terribly ignorant. Are these the same people who used to say that African Americans would forever be enslaved to whites because it had always been that way- and therefore would stay so? Yes, I do believe so. With this comparison often comes the chiding statement that it is entirely inappropriate to compare slavery to gender inequality. Again, this is something I disagree with. Although appearing dramatic at first, doesn’t gender equality affect more people than discrimination of race? Now in no way am I saying that the discrimination that women face is comparable to the treatment that people in slavery once faced, obviously it is a much minor, unjust treatment. Since its effects are less devastating and tragic, one might assume it would be easier to conquer; yet sadly, media and modern society have done their best to prove that assumption wrong.

Whether it be on TV, in magazines, or on social media, women's bodies are too frequently portrayed in a sexualized way. What I often find humorous about this is that no matter how little a woman is wearing, her nipples are always either censored or covered. On the contrary, the media often likes to portray men completely shirtless and confident looking. I am not saying that women have to shirtless to be confident, but there is trend of women being portrayed in photographs to appear be closed off, weak, and covering her breasts; that is all too common. While modesty is subjective, equality is most definitely not. When a woman's body chest is censored, it exacerbates the sexualization of the woman's body; making it seem less like a body and more like an object.

Another mind boggling question that our society needs to reflect on is why should a body part be “R-rated” or censored when its purpose could not be more “G-rated” and natural? It seems many people have become so accepting of societies ideals and rules that few have actually opened their eyes to the tolerated discrimination and gender inequalities. I am not naive enough to believe that overnight woman's  breasts would suddenly not be associated with sex; that is not what I’m saying. I just believe that if we can slowly begin to start desensitizing society to women’s chests- we will make progress towards gender equality.

I personally find it ridiculous that women and girls are held to a different standard because of their gender- something we cannot help. When I was growing up, it quickly became clear what was “okay”, for girls to participate in; and what was “too boyish.” Thankfully, society is slowly evolving, and gender is now a spectrum rather than two strict roles. Yet these different standards that females are held to, is still very evident. During the summer, when my friend and I were tanning on our stomachs at a beach, a comment was made to her by a shirtless male walking by, for having her entire back exposed- her tie undone. Yes a shirtless person, insulting another person with their back exposed- just because of their gender. This inequality of bodies also carries over to other different standards for females. From my experience and 16 years on this earth, the standard of the female body has a direct correlation to society put females in boxes. Female bodies are viewed as things that should be kept more concealed than men's. In this way, females are made to feel that they should be not be confident, should not be taking roles of leadership in fear of being “bossy”, and should not be expressive. Males on the other hand are thought to be more “attractive” if confident and proud, and are considered responsible when taking a leadership position- not “bossy”. These standards of society that have gone unquestioned are becoming more and more evident as hurtful inequalities.