Time: In a classroom debate, I shared my opinion on a topic, and some of my classmates immediately dismissed my points, not because of what I said, but because I’m a girl. They made comments suggesting that my opinion wasn’t as valid as the boys’ in the class.
Feelings: I felt hurt and angry. It was frustrating to see that my opinion wasn’t being taken seriously just because of my gender. It made me feel like no matter how well I argued my points or how much I knew about the topic, I wasn’t going to be respected or heard. I also felt disillusioned because it was a reminder that unfair biases still exist, even in environments where everyone should have an equal voice.