Feminism has recently gained some traction thanks to Emma Watson’s address to the United Nations on equality and women’s rights and campaigns around the world that have started setting a standard for how women and men are treated.

“I think we have equality here,” Tupelo High School senior Larkin Robbins said. “I mean, the boys and girls don’t really discriminate against each other. Boys aren’t better and neither are girls.”

The feminist movement is not new. It has been around for generations, and while change is occurring the expectations put on men and women are still unnecessarily different. Men and young boys are still expected to hide their emotions and “man up” to show their dominance. Women. on the other hand, are expected to be overly emotional and have a weak and submissive place in the world. These standards lead to suicide, rape culture, fear and major health issues.

The stress of living up to expectations can cause serious mental disorders. Suicide is the No. 1 killer of men between ages 20 and 49 and is a predominantly male disorder. According to WebMD, 90 percent of people with eating disorders are women.

Women are only paid 77 cents to a man’s dollar in the United States and are more likely to be harassed than a man. Harassment is something girls are taught to avoid by covering up, avoiding men when they are alone and not drinking around people. Sexual harassment has become a culture and “no” is a “yes” if the victim is drunk or wearing a short skirt.

Male sexual assault victims are dismissed because people feel like men can’t be overpowered by women. Women sexual assault victims are treated like their assault is their fault. Victim blaming should not be an issue. Women who are harassed and sexually assaulted should not be dismissed because they were wearing tight pants or a short skirt. Men who are assaulted should not be overlooked because they “should be stronger” than their attacker.

We need to teach the new generation that cat calls are not a compliment. Rape jokes are not funny. Street harassment is not a form of flattery. There should not be two sets of rules on how emotions should be shared. Boys are allowed to share how they feel. Girls are allowed to be tough. Girls should be allowed to wear what they want and not be scared that their clothing is an excuse for someone to harass them.

When you educate a generation on how to treat other people with respect and love, it can change the world. When one person stands up and says it is not her fault she was assaulted, or that he was assaulted even though a woman was the attacker, the world will become a little bit nicer to live in.