Growing up in a wealthy and predominantly white suburb in California has no doubt had an impact on my political beliefs and, more importantly, the development of my voice in regard to those matters.
Part of it was my family’s approach to politics. Both of my parents are registered Democrats. They claim to believe in marriage, race and gender equality. However, when it comes to their practice of liberal politics, their actions don’t always align with their words.
I clearly remember my dad commenting about my choice of outfit nearly every morning before I left for school. He would never flat out say things such as, “You dress like a slut,” but he would allude to it in fewer words.
Why should my dad have an opinion on how I choose to express myself? Why was he conditioning me to hide my body, as though it was something to be ashamed of rather than appreciated? Why was he sexualizing me — though unintentionally?
My mom was just as bad, if not worse, when it came to what I wore. One time when we got home from shopping, she asked me, “Do you like it when old men stare at you?” — as though it were my fault.
Shouldn’t she understand? After all, she was once a girl in high school. She should be my ally, right?
Their stagnant mindsets are not just limited to my wardrobe.
Do I think my parents are intentionally trying to be offensive? Absolutely not. The issue lies in their ignorance.
My parents’ lack of awareness on these topics sparked a sense of urgency within me to educate myself. Luckily, I’m surrounded by some amazing friends who take their education on these matters very seriously.
I look up to one of my best friends, Morgan Tinsley, for her political activism and vocalness. Morgan is the most self-motivated and educated person I know. She strives to educate others through Instagram and Snapchat stories as well as Her Campus articles.
However, despite so many people back home claiming to be blue, Morgan seemed to be a rarity when it came to political dialogue. What I noticed back then, and have continued to notice at Boston University, is that people are liberal when it is convenient for them.
When they get praise or approval, they are all for politics. However, in situations when someone’s political surroundings are unclear, they tend to lose their “wokeness,” if you will.
In my experience, finding people who would rather talk about feminism and immigration policy than their Saturday night plans is difficult. Finding people willing to talk about politics at all is hard — unless it’s Election Day or it’s for participation points in English class.
This creates a sense of polarity between those who are politically involved and those who are willfully ignorant, who tend to dismiss important conversations by saying, “let’s not get political.”
I first heard this four-word phrase right here at BU. It had a dramatic effect on me because I thought higher education was supposed to address these sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Hearing my peers say “let’s not get political” tells me that even at a liberal university such as BU, political discussions and being outspoken have not been entirely normalized.
If in these supposedly active spaces you’re still unable to “get political,” when is the appropriate time and where is the appropriate place?
No one can make you be genuinely involved — that is a choice.
However, the phrase “let’s not get political” carries a disgusting scent of arrogance. It means politics have never and probably will never matter to you because they do not directly impact you.
I promise, if your family was on the verge of deportation simply because they wanted a better life for you, politics would matter to you. If you were forced to actively fight societal norms to be accepted or given basic human rights, politics would matter to you.
If you had empathy for others, politics would matter to you.
This idea of commonality is a starting point. It does not matter if you are not personally affected by politics — your neighbor, teacher, aunt or friend may be.
Stop prioritizing things or people that keep your head in the sand. If one of your friends gives you a hard time for being passionate about a certain issue, chances are you are better off without them.
Start by asking yourself, “what is the cost of my silence?” Once you realize your impact, you can become intentional and aware of your surroundings, your actions and your voice. It all matters.
