Iva+T’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2016

=**Being sure of ourselves**=

When we were assigned this speech I first thought I'd write about how adults can be scary, then it changed to blowing up half of America and then that changed to slut shaming. However it changed again. The topic I have chosen to talk about is being sure about yourself.

So many times I have not done something because I was scared that other people will judge me, or I felt as if I wouldn't be able to do it. With my first topic parents I felt like I couldn't bring in enough ideas. My second one I wanted to destroy most of America but didn't do that because people would judge me for hating America. My next one on slut shaming, my mom told me that everyone would do that and I ended up second guessing myself. I kept getting upset that I couldn't just make up my mind, until I realized that's what I want to change. I wish we wouldn't be so scared to be us. All these thoughts I had that told me not to do things, I wish could go away. I want to be less scared. I want to do what I think is right, without the feeling of judgement. That's the America I want to be old in, I want all of us to be sure of ourselves. We need to do what we think is right and stick with it.

As a way to better myself and in getting closer to the America I want to live in. I'm going to talk about all the things I want to but decided not to because of being unsure about myself.

My first topic was how scary adults are and how I want them to stop. We all fear some adult in our lives but some of the worst are our teacher. I mean we all felt fear when fitz sat there and told us how hard AP classes would be, then the fear when we had to get up in front of the class and speak. Fitz would sit there and do his thing where he wouldn't break eye contact and make noses. Then a few of you have boyfriends or girlfriends, their parents are always scary because you just want to be accepted. If they hate you then you really can't do anything about it. It’s scary because you hangout with your significant other more often than your other friends. I'm scared of my boyfriends parents because I’ve maybe talked to them all of 10 times over the 11 months I've been dating him. Most of these times have been over text. I wish parents would talk more to me so I wouldn’t be so scared and could see them more as people then as silent monsters. As for teachers when you start making weird noises I'm unsure about myself.

For the next, topic I wanted to get rid of people through natural selection. However the process of natural selection I would have sped up by getting rid of states that didn't quite step up to the plate. We’ll get rid of most states because of high crime rates, obesity, and any state that voted for Donald Trump. The people in these states aren't smart or fit enough. After this process we would have ended up with only all of the states on the west coast, New York, Nevada, and Iowa. We would then move the capital to New York City. This would get rid of most people and since California and Iowa has the highest food productions we will have enough to feed the now smaller America.

Finally my other topic was on slut shaming. I decided to do this because how woman are sexualized really disgusts me. When I first looked at the definition of sluts there was two definition. 1) a woman who has many casual sexual partners. 2) a woman with low standards of cleanliness. After reading these definitions, I realized I'm a slut. So hi, I'm a slut. The reason I call myself that is because I have been told I have low morals. I was told this by my youth leaders because I wouldn't break up with my boyfriend. I was then told that I was a “horny bastard” because all I wanted was sex. However they also told me that it was ok for my boyfriend to want sex because he is male and that's normal for them. I couldn't believe this. Adults were telling me it was wrong to be a teenager. Something I can't control. I've been with one person, and suddenly I'm a slut because our morals don't line up. Girls are hurt by this, I was hurt by this. This is happening around the world and the effects are awful. Many fall into depression and self harm. It's not just teenagers saying these things, it's adults too, that's what happened to me. It's not anyone else’s business to set our morals or to judge us for our actions.

The America I want to grow old in is one where adults don't scare kids, where we becomes the smartest and fittest, where girls aren't told they are whores, and where we are all able to be confident in ourselves. So many are unsure, but we shouldn't be. We all are special and amazing in our own ways. We all have talents that need to be shares. There are many problems in the world but one that affects everybody is the fear of ourselves.

http://stateofobesity.org/lists/highest-rates-adult-obesity/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2015/10/29/americas-most-dangerous-cities-detroit-cant-shake-no-1-spot/#1a00575f12c8 https://wsstudentvoice.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/slut-shaming-and-its-negative-effects-on-the-female-gender/