Differences

As I listened to one of the most conservative women I know ramble on about the sanctity of marriage and family and children, and blah blah blah, I took a quick second to look around the room at the other students. I realized that I was surrounded my other women, with only five members of the male species in a class of thirty-two. This amazed me and I instantly felt grateful for the opportunities I have as a woman in America.

Sure, there is a long way to go for women, but is true for everybody. There may be a current battle to remove some of the basic rights that I have as a woman; however I should occasionally take the time to be appreciative of all that I do have. I have the right to education, and more importantly I have the right to higher education. I also have the right to disagree with other women in my classes when they don’t understand more liberal points of views and morals. And that is ok.

Not everybody is going to believe the exact same thing as me. I may at points think a little bit less of them intellectually, but that differing opinion is great for growth and challenge. The important thing is to listen and respect those differing opinions and not automatically reject them because they oppose your views. Too often that happens, and yes, I am even guilty of it from time to time.
But the key to diversity is basic tolerance and respect. You don’t have to agree with everybody and you don’t have to tolerate one hundred percent every single person’s beliefs; but as long as you respect that people are different and that they have the right to be different, I feel as if this world would make great progress.