Where I Started
I am an Orthodox Jew, but my family was always very in tune with the world, while adhering to the rules of Orthodoxy. My mom was always the primary breadwinner and my dad was always more off than on regarding work, so to my mind, women did everything. (I'm only 15 now, but even I can see that women really do do everything.)
What Influenced Me
I began writing papers in seventh grade, and I chose to write about Jeanette Rankin, the first woman in Congress, and then every paper I wrote was about feminism and women's rights. I began calling myself a feminist when I wrote a paper about the positive impact of the Barbie doll on Second-Wave Feminism the summer before ninth grade (and subsequently winning the National History Day I. Stephen Miller Award for the Recognition of Women in History).
Lessons Learned
- Judaism/Orthodoxy is very much compatible with feminism
- Always stand up for what you believe, even when friends and family may disagree
