To celebrate International Women’s Day, SIWA invited students from our sponsor’s international schools and Korean schools that SIWA supports under two divisions, Junior and Senior, to submit essays addressing this year’s theme, #BalanceforBetter
Sooah Kim from All Love School submitted this winning essay in the Junior Division. She was awarded a certificate of recognition at SIWA’s March Coffee Morning where she read an excerpt from her essay. In addition, 300,000 KRW will be donated to her vetted charity of choice, Soyang Rainbow Hill Orphanage.
Gender Exists To Respect Each, Not To Judge
Can you believe that being homosexual in the past was a crime and people were being sentenced up to 20 years in? I find it so cruel that people had to live in fear about their sexualities in the past but now we have gay rights which have made the world better than before. But it’s time for a better gender-balanced world. So, if I had to choose one person who I think will make a more gender-balanced world it would have to be James Charles.
Who James Charles is. James is a 19 year old male who loves makeup and shows the internet his love for it. He has taken over world with over 14 million fans and was the first ever male model for “CoverGirl” which inspired so many people. He also collaborated with a makeup company named “Morphe” and made his own makeup collection called “SISTER COLLECTION” to “bring out the inner artist” in us and that you can make your dreams come true no matter your sexuality.
I believe James has taught people that it doesn’t matter what other people want you to be but how you want to be. He tells the world that we can do and be anything we want regardless of the gender. He has taught many of us that we can wear makeup, dress how we please, be who we want and so much more without being scared about how people will judge us. He also inspired more men to wear makeup and not care of how others will think. Girls should be able to be engineers, soccer players, builders, guards and many other things while boys can be models, nurses, teachers, makeup artists just like James and so much more. James was bullied for how he dressed at school but he was strong and didn’t let the bullies get to him, till this day he still gets looks from how he dresses but he doesn’t care for he is confident in his own body and loves himself. Be confident on the way you dress, act, speak and look. Don’t let other peoples’ expectations get to you.
Why I think James would make a huge impact on the world is because he has made us more respectful and not judgmental towards others. James always has his fans telling him how much he changes their lives and how strong they are now. He taught us to have respect for others no matter their race, gender or age. Being ourselves is the most important part of being stronger and confident. He also made me realize that men should have the freedom to wear makeup and embrace how they look. Men should not be called “freaks” and other nasty names for just embracing makeup and beauty products. I don’t understand why men embracing femininity are more likely to be mocked, judged or disrespected while women embracing masculinity are just called “tomboys” and don’t get mocked, judged or disrespected for it. Men embracing femininity and women embracing masculinity should be respected EQUALLY not unfairly. Sexuality doesn’t separate us. We should all be respected equally no matter what.
James has influenced me so much. He has taught me to have more respect towards people no matter their sexuality, to be confident, be supportive to others and taught me that everyone is beautiful and unique in their own ways. We can also learn from James that we shouldn’t do something for fame, money or that is expected from us. We should do it because we love it.
These days people are willing to make a much more better gender-balanced world and fight for what is right. I am extremely excited to see how the world will make a better than ever gender-balanced place for us in the future.