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By Maya Krishnan
I, like many high school seniors, have recently embarked on the treacherous journey of the college search process. It was an exciting, painfully complex, and tiring adventure, but it led me to my dream school, Wellesley College, a small private college in Wellesley, Massachusetts. But the unique thing about this college was the fact that it is an all women college, meaning that all of their students identify as women or femme nonbinary. And you might be thinking, “It’s 2021. Why are there still all women colleges, and why are students still applying to them?” I wondered this myself, and as I explored Wellesley and other women colleges, the answer was clear. These colleges still exist today because there is still discrimination against women in the world, and these colleges help provide students with the one thing that will ensure their success: confidence.
And yes, I experienced the same reaction you are experiencing now, “Confidence? That’s it? That’s how we empower women in a male dominated world?” And the answer is, yes -- think about the times that women have been dismissed, or not believed in. Think about all the times that men have been picked for promotions over women. And why do these things happen? Because people believe in men more than women. They believe that a man’s ideas are safer, are better, and are more easy to trust than a woman’s.
As a woman, I have felt numerous times that it’s not worth the effort to bring up my ideas, or contribute as much as my male counterparts. But after gaining more confidence in myself, and embracing the truth that just because someone else assumes my contributions will not be worthwhile enough to hear, doesn’t actually mean that my contributions are bad. Having self-confidence gives you the ability to push out those negative pressures and still push forward and be able to prove yourself. It means that you get to take chances that an insecure person might let go of.
We all know that men and women have the same ability to achieve success, given similar opportunities, and yet, women and their ideas are still perceived as lesser than their male counterparts and their ideas. If we give women self-confidence, they will fight for themselves more and become more successful in life. It’s why women’s colleges produce more women leaders than most other colleges. And this is not an endorsement for Wellesley, but proof that confidence really works!
Of course, the real answer to equality is not to send every woman to an all women college. The real answer is to make sure that every woman (and really, every child, regardless of gender) believes in themselves and their self-worth, no matter what their identity is. Schools should help grow each student’s confidence in their contributions to the classroom, creating a culture where kids learn to not only respect each other, but actively support each other. It’s much easier said than done, but the first step to fostering equality in society is recognition that this is what we need to help increase equality and the quality of life for all women, and eventually, all people.