I’m Cristina and I was born in San Francisco, California.
I’m Chris and I was born in Blantyre, Malawi. That’s South East Africa.

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If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do? 

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Cristina: Sometimes I’m scared to play soccer at School because it’s all boys so I would play more soccer at school for one day if I was a boy.

Chris: I would really want to see what it’s like to be a mom not a dad, I know how to be a dad it’s easier.

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What does it mean to be a feminist?

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Cristina: For me it’s like making people think more of you, not under estimating you. I like that feeling when they under estimate you but then you do something and it makes them think wow!

Chris: For me it’s just trying to fight for the same opportunities and the same rights as everybody else, just to bring awareness of the inequalities between the sexes male and female. That’s my definition of a feminist. When I see someone as a feminist, I see somebody who is trying to achieve equality between the genders, the sexes. That’s it, nothing else.

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What article would you want to read in today’s newspaper?

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Cristina: The glass ceiling is broken, Women are amazing!!! That’s what I would want to hear!

Chris: I’d probably want to read something to do with human rights.

Finally mankind has come to its senses and decided that nobody should be discriminated against because of their race, gender or age. Finally the world has come to the realization that every person is equal, despite what you were taught. That would be great, that would make my day.

Cristina: The heading would be womankind instead of mankind!

Chis: How about humankind?

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Ask your dad “ what rights have women obtained in the last century”?

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Chris: Women now have the right to vote which was never the case before. Another big obstacle that women overcame was the right to choose in terms of parenthood. This is an abortion rights issue, I’m talking about a woman’s right to choose whether or not to have a baby. The right to make a choice, not have the government make the choice for you in this situation. You’re going to hear about this a lot.

There is the illusion, I don’t think it’s there yet but now Women have more opportunities in terms of job opportunities where they can actually go and be on top of the packing order. Not so long ago you wouldn’t really find women CEOs of big companies. Recently you see that, not enough but at least it’s beginning. You never heard that before, it was always men.

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What advice do you give to your daughter to achieve in life?

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Chris: I always tell you to be independent, never rely on anybody. Put yourself in a position where you always have choices, you’re not forced to do one thing because you didn’t do another thing before. For example, you didn’t get enough education to be able to pick the right job. My advice to you is always educate yourself, be independent, be confident, always have a choice. You have to put yourself in a position where you have options all the time.

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What worries you about bringing up girls in our male chauvinist world?

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Chris: A lot worries me.  Number one I don’t want my daughter to lose her confidence, to lose hope and say this is what we have, this is the way the world is, there is no hope. With the recent political events it’s almost like we’re going back again. We’re here and all of a sudden women are being objectified again, they are losing all the ground that has been gained since the dark ages. I still want you to have confidence, we can still win this battle, we’re still in it. 

My name is Stella, I was born at the Methodist Hospital in Manhattan.
My name is David, I was born in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

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In what ways are you completely different?

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Stella: I’m a lot younger, I have braces.

David: You’re very outgoing and dramatic I’m not.

Stella: I’m a daredevil.

David: You love to sing and put on a show.

Stella: He’s the more quiet type and he’s shy.

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If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do? 

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Stella: I would join a football team and audition for the voice.

David: I would join the army and try to be GI Jane.

What does it mean to be a feminist?

Stella: I think it means a believer in women.

David: Supporting women’s rights!

Stella: I think it’s so unfair my mum was talking to me about how they made up all these words for women, bad words very bad words that I cannot say and they don’t have the same words for men.

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Pretend you have superpowers. What are they and how would you use them to seek justice?

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David: I’d want to be able to…

Stella: To talk!  You don’t want to be socially awkward so you want to talk.

David: Yeah that’s a big part of it I think the biggest problem right now is that people are not hearing each other. So the superpower of communication, to be heard clearly and for there not to be alternative facts, for facts to be heard and the truth to come out.  Maybe I could hear people and know when they are lying, that could be one of my superpowers and expose them to other people.

Stella: Yeah totally…

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What lessons have you learned by bringing a daughter into the world?

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Stella: That I’m amazing.

David: Yes other than stellar is amazing… I think I had never thought about the hate speech, that there are certain words, a whole lot words for women but there aren’t the equivalent words to describe the same behavior in men and the double standard, the way women are not treated the same way in the workplace.

I grew up in a very traditional house my dad was not the most liberal minded in terms of the roles of who did what, now having Stella and Valentina and Nicole my wife who is a very outspoken person.

Stella: She curses a lot.

David: Well she curses a lot but she is also, she gets things done and I think I’ve gained a lot of respect for women living with so many of them now around the house.

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Behind every great man there is always a great woman. What is your opinion on this phrase?

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Stella: I think it seems like the men and women should be equally treated and they are both the same as men both play baseball they can both do soccer they can both drive cars open a cooking show.

David: What do you think that means behind every great man there is always a great Woman? Do you think it could be a wife or sister, his mum or  a good friend?

 What does it say at the bottom, what is your opinion? Do you like that expression?

Stella: No I don’t like it, it sounds sexist.

David: It does in a way doesn’t it?

Stella: It says behind every great man there is always a great woman but I feel like it could be kind of sexist because it says behind every great man and we all know that men are Great, men have big muscles workout at the gym.

David: But it’s the physical position in it too right, the woman behind the man why isn’t it the other way round? Behind every great woman there’s a great man supporting her! 

My name is Vida and I was born in Manhattan.
My name is Ray and I was born in Jersey city.

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If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do? 

Vida: I don’t think boys are very much different from girls.

Ray: Is there anything boys can do that you can’t do.

Vida: No. 

Ray: If I were a girl I’d like to be her.

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What do you think it means to be a feminist?

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Vida: I’m not so sure.

Ray: We’ve had a great time, my wife and I, not bringing gender identities into her expectations, so there is no idea that boys should do this or girls should do that with her or at least we try to present it like that.

A Feminist for myself and my wife as parents means to present that kind of thought process. Being a girl doesn’t limit her options, as an adult a man and a woman face different challenges, men have to be compassionate with the challenges that are out there. Some guys aren’t even aware of the challenges that women face because we men have had privileges for so long, we get more pay and get away with a lot of stuff that women have to work harder at. So just becoming aware of this fact is the first step and bringing it across to other men is an important thing for feminism and for myself personally.

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What lessons have you learned by bringing a daughter into the world?

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Ray:  I have learnt to be more compassionate towards feminism and women’s rights, I didn’t have to think that men made more money for the same job, I didn’t have to think about these things until I had a complete and engulfing love for my child and I understand that there are barriers and challenges that she faces just because she is a girl.

Bringing a daughter into the world makes you wonder how you can either change the world or how you can strengthen and prepare your daughter to be strong enough for the challenges that are out there in that world.

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Some still say: “ woman’s place is in the kitchen” WHAT? There are many more male chefs than women in the world… WHY?

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Ray: I haven’t heard that in a long time.

Vida: I have! I have a great example! I was reading this book about girl inventors and this girl when she was in high school taking a test and there were separate tests a girl test and the boy test. She took the girl test and it said “ you are going to be a stay at home wife and be in the kitchen” and she said that is so unfair and then she said “I want to take the boy’s test” and then she finished it and the options were, you can be a doctor or a scientist. And so she picked a scientist  because she wanted to be a scientist.

My name is John Paul and I was born in long island, New York.
My name is Eliza and I was born in Brooklyn, New York.

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If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

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Eliza: I would probably kill myself or make myself very stylish.

JP: I think I would like to go and get a makeover, get my hair blown out, my nails done see what that feels like.

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What do you think it means to be a feminist?

JP: What being a feminist means to me is being protective and an advocate of women’s rights, equal rights. It goes for all human beings if we don’t have equal rights for everybody we will never advance as a society. The best and the brightest of our society will never emerge so I’m a proponent of feminism and all equal rights for human beings.

You have been invited to a national radio station and have the chance to deliver two messages, confronts one another before going on air, then each of you say one message.

Eliza: My message would be for all little girls to believe in themselves and be themselves. I remember when I was really tiny I never wanted to be myself, I never thought I was prettier.

JP: Awww... My message would be if you truly want to make America great that we be proponents of equal rights for women because women are half our society and if half of our society doesn’t have the same rights as the other half we can never be great as a Country. So starting with pay, starting with equal access and education, arts, athletics, making sure that women have the same opportunities as men do in our society and then we will be great as a nation, right?

Boys will be boys! What do you use think this phrase suggests?

JP: We’ve heard that said about our boys right?

Eliza: I think it means you can’t really change them, cause a lot of boys personalities are sometimes, big brothers and little sisters like me get into fights, sometimes they can be a little rude.

JP: I think boys will be boys almost gives them a pass for being naughty, you know like they’re allowed to fight or they’re allowed to get into trouble and break things because they’re boys. It’s a little backwards right  don’t you think? It’s like giving boys a pass. Is there a phrase girls will be girls?

My name is Brian and I was born in Huntington, Long Island.
My name is Baily and I was born in Brooklyn.
My name is Alexa and I was born in New York.

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If for one day you could be a male and vice versa, what would you do?

Bailey: I would stand up for women’s rights because it’s easier to stand up for women’s rights when you are a man.

Brian: It would be interesting! Maybe I would go to a bar on lady’s night and get a free drink.

Alexa: I’d like to see what it feels like to have friends that are boys as a boy.

Brian: Yes I’d like to experience that, I think women are capable of having different relationships in some respects with other women than men have with men.

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

Bailey: I think it means to stand up for your rights and not judge people by their looks.

Alexa: I think it means being something that you want to be and somebody tells you that you don’t want to be and you can do what you do.

Brian: I think that being a feminist means demanding that women are treated equally to men and not excepting that they be treated less than how men are treated.

Pretend you have superpowers. What are they and how would you use them to seek justice?

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Brian: How about a magical ray that stops people from judging one another based upon things other than the quality of their character!

Bailey: Yeah that’s cool!

My name is Sasha, I was born in Manhattan.
My name is Ben, I was born in Washington DC.

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If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

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Ben: This is going to sound funny but the first thing that popped into my head is that I’d like to know what it’s like to breast feed because that’s one thing that girls can do that boys can’t do.

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

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Sasha: I don’t think it’s just like for girl’s rights, I mean it is but I feel like it’s more for equal rights, it’s someone who believes and will fight for equal rights between females and males. It’s about equal rights between both genders. Some people will believe in it but they won’t really be willing to fight for it. The part that makes you a feminist is that you are willing to fight for it.

Ben: I think as a man what makes you a feminist is really trying to see the world and inequality of gender from a woman’s perspective which is hard but it’s one thing that having daughters has helped me do. But I like what you said about, it’s one thing to see things a certain way, it’s another thing to want to do something about it so I agree with you that there is a part of being a feminist that involves doing something about it.

Women’s rights are human rights! You are going on a protest march. It’s time to prepare the manifesto banner, exchange opinions and tell us your slogan.

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Sasha: How about you’re not a feminist if you believe in gender equality, you’re a feminist if you fight for it.

Ben: Or fight for gender equality!

Name one woman you admire, tell us the reason. You have the opportunity to meet her, how would you spend time together?

Sasha: Her name is Jasmine Cephus Jones  she is my hero. I admire her because she is an amazing woman. She does many things that I really appreciate, the stuff that I want to do when I grow up like singing and acting. The way that she sings is cool but also I think she’s a really awesome feminist. She’s amazing in and out. I feel like if you dig out inside her, like see her soul you’d be like wow she’s awesome.

Ben: I admire Michelle Obama a lot and I would love to meet her. I would spend time just drinking coffee and having a conversation. I would ask her questions like, what was it like to be in the position she was in, as first lady and as a mom, trying to stand up for things that she believed in, particularly during the campaign and do it in a way that was classy but forceful. That made her a person that was appealing to other people and I marvel at her ability to do that.

What lessons have you learned by bringing a daughter into the world?

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Ben: I think that having two daughters has made me think about the world from a girl’s perspective, from a female perspective in a way that I just didn’t before. I think it’s interesting because I’m married, I have a sister and I’ve had a lot of female friends but there is something about when you have a child, you think about how the world is affecting your child in a way that is different from the thought of how the world is affecting your wife, your friend or your sister. So things that you or Sonia as a girl say, like; I see this poster and it really offends me or this makes me mad or I wonder about this or I worry about this. Sometimes it’s something I hadn’t thought about, sometimes it is something I had thought about but the fact that you’re thinking it and you feel strongly about it makes me think in a different way. I feel that’s something I have learned.

My name is Max and I was born in Liberia.
My name is Amira and I was born in Manhattan.

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If you could be male for one day and vice versa what would you do?

Max: I would be curious about getting pregnant and walk that would feel like just having something in your tummy cooking I think there is an experience that is so unique to woman I’d love to see what that felt like.

What do you think it means to be a feminist to you?

Amira: To go to protests to fight for women’s rights, whoever doesn’t believe in it you Talk to them about why its rights to have equal pay for women and equality to women and you stand up to people who don’t think that’s right.

Max: For me being a feminist would be to breakdown the stereotypes that one gender in this case the male gender was better than the female gender so that would basically encompass, breakdown the idea of males are better than females when in fact they are equal.

Ask your dad “ what rights have women obtained in the last century”?

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Max: I’d say in the last century definitely the right to vote, to have a credit card. There was a point when women couldn’t have a credit card.

Amira: When was that?

Max: I would say the 50s or the 60s. I’m sure own a home, have bank accounts. There is definitely the rights over their bodies that’s something that’s been significant. I think it’s kind of hard for you to appreciate what that actually means. There was a point of time when a woman didn’t have a say which literally a man would say you can’t do this and you can’t do that. Rights over children for instance if you had a child with a man you wouldn’t have a say over what happens to that child. You know how now me and your mom make decisions on your behalf together and the law recognizes that we equally have rights. There was a point in time which what your mom say didn’t count at all, if I said you are going here and she disagreed it wouldn’t matter at all that’s that has definitely changed in the last century. I think that women have gained more of and equal footing in our world now so if you think of lawyers, doctors, architects, if you think of any professions now you can see a woman there and these are things that women didn’t have access to for many years.

Some still say: “ woman’s place is in the kitchen” WHAT? There are many more male chefs than women in the world… WHY?

Max: Do you know what that means?

Amira: Yes that they should stay at home and do the home chores they should cook when you get home you should have a meal in front of you they do all the dishes to all the laundry make all the beds. That’s just terrible that’s 70 years ago like being in the 1930s.

Max: Historically women were considered property.

Amira: That’s like in the 16 or 1700s.

Max: So the fact that we are in 2017 and people still say that it’s ridiculous right it minimizes everything you stand for your ability to do anything outside of staying home.

Amira: that goes back to when women didn’t even go to school.

Max: That minimizes your abilities outside of the kitchen you can’t see that in this day and age.

Amira: Look at Catherine Johnson she sent Armstrong to the moon she was behind that.

Max: During World War I and two while all the men were away who was here they went in the kitchen they were the backbone so to even think that is absurd.  To think of all the Supreme Court Justices the doctors the politicians and the world leaders just think. One of the most famous females was Thatcher from England Gandhi in India, these are powerful countries Merkel now.

Amira: And really back then Elizabeth the first was good to

Max: Yes Queens absolutely there have been powerful queens.If you look at every celebrity chef they are always males

Amira: There are some famous women chefs though

Max: There are but if you think about it, if you are a foodie you’re definitely see that all the chefs any restaurant that people go to its always a male chef the head chef, in the world, but if you juxtapose it to the top of that question there and the reason why is because the chef is in a position of power he runs the show so that’s the only reason why you can say the man is the chef because he gets to order people around he takes the credit for everything but everyone knows the best cooking is whose? Home cooking.

Amira: Remember in Brazil they trusted the women who cooked at home but when they opened a business to cook they didn’t trust them.

Max: That’s ridiculous so that’s the what in the question and he is the why because you are a man you’re considered better at running the show but you know that’s completely ridiculous. You have to understand a part of that is navigating the world knowing that there are people who Believe in this part so whenever you do things people may want me to be here but that’s where you want to have the power to break through and say no I want to be chef I want to be the Chief Surgeon I want to be a vet. Because those are the positions that men know get all the credit. If you are at home making food nobody gives you credit for that but if you are the chef it’s like OMG my meal was so great.

Amira: Now you made me think of it in Ratatouille remember the only woman chef there remember she was the only one and she wasn’t even in charge.

Max: But do you remember the scene where she particularly said I help you I sacrificed my own profession to help you as a man. I’m glad you brought up that’s like Hollywood putting their finger on that is issue, in the kitchen she’s better than him but she had to be behind him.

Amira: And he didn’t even do any work the rat did.

Max: The point is there are professions where, actually almost all of them where men take credit for everything so as you’re growing up you really have to be cognizant of that and have the voice to speak up and to demand those types of positions because that’s where you will never be behind any man.

My name is Alan, I was born in Bilbao, Spain.
My name is Cleo and I was born in Manhattan New York.

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What do you like doing together?

Cleo: I like just walking around, it’s a good time to talk together and play jokes.

Alan: I like playing music with you. I play piano and Cleo sings, we usually just make songs up so it becomes like a musical.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

Cleo: I would take my shirt off at random moments because I think that would be kind of fun.

Alan: I would experience being a mother and being pregnant maybe.

What does it mean to be a feminist?

Alan: embracing the idea that Women can do everything that men can do, it means standing up for what you believe, standing up for women’s rights but also civil rights, equal rights.

Cleo: I think being a feminist kind of makes me part of history and it makes me proud that I am a feminist. It’s something I can be proud of myself for.

Today you are in congress and a new law for recognition of women’s rights is being proposed. Exchange ideas and tell us briefly what the new article is.

Cleo: If someone abused or was not fair to a woman, they should get a bigger consequence. I feel like if that happens you get the consequence but I think if that happens they should get a bigger consequence.

Alan: Explain that again.

Cleo: That if someone abused or was being unfair to a woman they would get a bigger consequence than they do now. I mean not if it was just a small thing, if it happens once in awhile but if it was a bigger more important thing then they should get a bigger consequence than they do now.

Alan: So they don’t just get a slap on the wrist but more consequence, like lose their job?

Cleo: Like go to jail or something. I mean not for a long time but until they know what they’ve done wrong and swear not to do it again.

Alan: They should out law any sort of ad in public spaces that targets women’s bodies. They actually passed that law in London.

Cleo: Good for you London!

My name is Manu and I was born in Nottingham, England.

My name is Nandeni, I was born in New York, USA.

If you could be a male and vice versa for one day what would you do?

Manu: If I were a female for a day I would probably be my wife because she gets so much done in terms of making sure that not only all of her stuff is taken care of professionally but everything that both of our kids need academically and socially and emotionally is always there. I think that women are intrinsically better at juggling all those balls and multitasking in that way.

What do you think it means to be a feminist to you?

Manu: I think it means standing up for, believing in and asserting the rights of women and girls wherever and however possible. I think it’s difficult for men to be feminists without having been touched in someway by their daughter their sister their mother and for those men that are not in some respects I feel a little bit of sympathy for them,  not sympathy I would say a little sorry for them because they don’t have that ability to empathise and see through the eyes of that woman or girl who touched them whether it’s their daughter or sister, mother or grandmother or cousin or who ever it may be.

Nandeni has her own ideas. Why did you do Malala for the museum?

Nandeni: Because I thought that what she did was brave thing, she stood up for what she thought was right and nobody else joined her but she felt that she was right and she kept on doing it  and she didn’t care what other people thought about her.

Manu: Standing up for what you believe in, yeah I think that’s fair.

Women’s rights are human rights! You are going on a protest march. It’s time to prepare the manifesto banner, exchange opinions and tell us your slogan.

Nandeni: This pretty much says it women’s rights are human rights because women’s aren’t animals, animals should have rights too  but they are not in beasts they are at the same creatures as us and they are treating them like and some people are treating them like animals.

Manu: Who are you talking about, animals or women?

Nandeni: Women I think they are treating women like animals so this is a good slogan women’s rights are human rights.

Manu: When we went to that rally what did your signs say, you held a sign right?

Nandeni: We are all immigrants.

Manu: That was sidarson’s sign what was yours.

Nandeni: These are not American values!

Manu: What are American values?

Nandeni: Being kind and respecting everyone no matter what gender

Manu: I think American Values regardless of gender whether it’s a boy or a girl, they are entitled to the same thing in life, I think those are American values.

Today you are in congress and a new law for recognition of women’s rights is being proposed. Exchange ideas and tell us briefly what the new article is.

Manu: My concern is that laws like the Lily ledbeter law ensuring equal pay.

Nandeni: The declaration of Independence.

Manu: No not that. Laws defunding planned parenthood women’s rights to basic health needs are all somewhat at stake and it’s a concern for you that I have which is why we are trying to sort of ensure that you have all the tools you need to fight it, resist it to the extent you have to and make the world a better place.

Ask your dad “ what rights have women obtained in the last century”?

Manu: Not a whole lot. Women have obtained the right to vote in terms of suffrage. True but they are still considered as house wives.

Some women are just considered as housewives and I am concerned about the way women’s rights are being treated right now and women’s place in the world and the respect for women’s bodies women’s rights and how we are not looking towards women for a unique and importance sort of necessary form of leadership.

Alva: Hi I rock!

David: Hi I don’t.

My name is David and I was born in Flushing,  Queens.

My name is Alva and I was born in Manhattan.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

Alva: Grow a beard and moustache, I’ve always wanted one.

David: Wow I guess if I was a girl I’d probably wear a really fancy dress.

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

Alva: You go first.

David: No you go first, you’re going to piggyback on whatever I say so you go first… Okay I’ll throw you a lifeline.

I think being a feminist means believing that everyone has equal rights and for me it’s not just about men and women.

Alva: It’s dogs too!

David: Pets should have rights too… but let’s get back to being a feminist. So I think being a feminist is believing that there’s equal rights for everyone, I don’t like to narrow it down to just women or girls, it could be gender related, it could be religion related, it could be sexual orientation related. For me it all falls under the same thing. Where I grew up I didn’t see color or anything like that, I basically grew up next to a project, I had friends that were girls, boys, white, Muslim, Chinese, gang members and homeless people.

Today you are in congress and a new law for recognition of women’s rights is being proposed. Exchange ideas and tell us briefly what the new article is.

David: They are trying to takeaway the right for women to choose whether to have an abortion or not.

Alva: Yeah yeah that’s messed up dude!

David: Do you know what an abortion is?

Alva: No!

David: Okay so an abortion is when someone gets pregnant but they didn’t want to get pregnant,  say it was an accident. They then get rid of the pregnancy so that they don’t have the baby.

Alva: So someone is trying to make sure they get the baby

David: Yes that’s right, even though they don’t want to have a baby at that time. So there is basically a bunch of men in a room trying to tell women that if you get pregnant  you have to have that baby.

Alva: That’s messed up

David: Haha I’m raising a gangsta rapper who’s never heard gangsta rap. So if we could make a law for women what would it be?

Alva: That they don’t have to do what men say!

David: Do you know what Congress is?

Alva: No… I don’t  know a lot of things!

David: Congress is where all the laws are made. There is a group of people elected from each state and they get together to come up with all the laws. So what would you like to do differently? Maybe there should be an equal amount of women as there are men in congress!

Alva: Yeah that would definitely work.

What worries you about bringing up girls in our male chauvinist world?

David: Well here we go! I think one, that I’m probably going to end up going to jail for beating someone senseless. Two, knowing that at some point someone is going to say something derogatory because you are a girl.

Alva: It’s messed up!

David: Yeah it is messed up!

Alva: This world is messed up!

David: I don’t think it’s happened yet. I always hope there is going to be a generational shift and hopefully your generation is in that shift where by the time you are getting older and there is more involvement with males you are treated equally. You hear all those horror stories of what’s happened to your female friends and your wife and you hope that your daughter doesn’t have to go through any of that stuff because it seems like every woman I know has been harassed to some degree or putdown.

Alva: How?

David: Even if you have a boyfriend or someone who thinks they are stronger than you and he thinks he’s the boss of everything you know that’s not right, you have as much right as they have and you have as much right to say you don’t want to be there and you have as much right to say no.

Alva: Yeah… No!

David: Right, and if not I have a chainsaw and lots of fishing hooks.

What lessons have you learned by bringing a daughter into the world?

David: I like having a daughter even though I thought she was going to be a boy. Honestly from my experiences with the boys up to this point of her age I am so glad I have a daughter. I know that might change when she becomes a rebellious teenager and doesn’t listen and does things that are not appropriate, even though I probably did the same things and I should be understanding but…

I think there is something about a father and daughter connection that is much different than anything else. And even though sometimes I feel she won’t ever Love me as much as her mother, it’s in a different way. I don’t know if girls can love their fathers as much as their mothers. I could be wrong about that too. Before she was born I thought, I’ll have a boy who will be into fishing do sports and all of those things… but Alva goes fishing, she loves sports and we cook in the kitchen together, bake and make chocolate. I braid her hair and hopefully she can braid my hair at some point.

I know it’s probably going to be a tough road for me in the next couple of years once boys come into the picture, things that I can’t control, like her feelings. I think a lot of tolerance will be learnt overtime.

My name is Stewart and I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

My name is Harper  and I was born in Manhattan.

If for one day you could be male and vice versa what would you do?

Harper: If I was a boy I’d probably try to get back to my normal self because I’d be freaked out!!!

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

Harper: Maybe think before you act but do it, stick to it even if you know it’s kind of like crazy. Stick with it and go with it.

Stuart: I think of feminism as normal, equality. I don’t think of it as this thing that should be debated or be controversial, to me it is the reality men, women, everyone are equal. I think we should all have the same rights to make the same amount of money, to go where we want to go, do what we want to do, be treated the way we want to be treated.

Women’s rights are human rights! You are going on a protest march. It’s time to prepare the manifesto banner, exchange opinions and tell us your slogan.

Stuart: That’s a great one, women’s rights are human rights! Do you know who first said that?

Hilary!

Harper: The world is ours to choose!

Stuart: Someone once said, I think it was Gandhi. Be the change you want to see in the world. It’s like what you were saying, if you want something to change you’ve got to do it, change it!

Harper: Be you, just do!

What lessons have you learned by bringing a daughter into the world?

Harper: that I’m amazing.

Stuart: I’ve learnt a few things. One I’m so happy and you know this, that you’re a girl, that we had a daughter. But the lesson we talked about the other day, I wish we had a female president, I wish that was more of a common thing not just the presidency but other things in society so that you were living in a world where that was commonplace.

Harper: That would be a happy place!

What article would you want to read in today’s newspaper?

Stuart: I read an article in the paper yesterday that said 1300 women have now decided that they are going to run for political office in the next election, the number might be slightly wrong. With everything that happened people are motivated by Hilary’s loss and all the women are saying, I’m going into politics and I’m going to make things better. That would be a cool thing to read.

Behind every great man there is always a great woman. What is your opinion on this phrase?

Stuart: What it means is no man is successful without having a great woman behind him. Not standing behind but supporting him.

Harper: I think that might be kind of like a stereotype, because I mean it’s saying that men can’t be behind women, like a woman can’t be the person who’s doing a great thing.

Stuart: I totally agree with you, I would call it an outdated expression and doesn’t have as much importance any more.

My name is Steve and I was born in Lahoya, California.

My name is Puppy Lover slash Josie, born in Manhattan.

My name is Maya and I was born in St Vincent’s Hospital, Manhattan.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do? 

Josie: I would probably try and sneak into the girls bathroom.

Maya: I would try to brainstorm with Josey and see if I brain stormed differently as a boy and I would see if I thought of different games.

Steve: I don’t know what I would do differently because there is nothing that I do as a man that I couldn’t do as a woman except have a baby and be pregnant, I think I might want to be pregnant so I could feel what it’s like to carry a baby in my stomach. I don’t know if I’d like to have a baby on that day but I would like to know what it feels like.

What do you think it means to be a feminist to you?

Maya: I think it means to support women and not supports people like Donald Trump with his hate for women and immigrants.

Josie: Supporting other women.

Steve: I think it’s about believing that girls and boys can do the same things and can become the same things. I don’t like when people say there are boy things and girl things. I also think that it means listening to all people the same not respecting one person’s opinion more because they are a man or a woman but everyone’s ideas are listened to the same and everybody is treated the same.

How do you see yourself and what will you be doing when you’re 25?

Josie: I see myself in a mirror.

Steve: What do you see when you look in the mirror how do you see what’s on the inside?

Josie: Probably in science probably I think of science and little body charts… being a fashion designer and getting 1000 dogs.

Maya: I see myself running for Senate! I don’t know what I want to do but that’s one thing I want to do. I want to be President and to be president you have a better chance of winning or becoming elected if you have practice like being a Senator or mayor like the head of. But I can’t be president when I’m 25.

Steve: That’s true I think you have to be 35.

Maya: 37

What advice do you give to your daughter to achieve in life?

Steve: You guys should listen to your hearts and don’t listen to what other people tell you…

Maya: Even you?

Steve: That’s not what I mean. When you know what you want to do with your life you listen to that, don’t listen to other people telling you you can’t do it, it’s not what you’re supposed to do, you’re not strong enough you’re not smart enough you are not anything enough. You don’t listen to that you believe in yourself!

Josie: Daddy are you basically saying that we should believe in ourselves and follow our dreams?

Steve: That’s exactly what I’m saying! You should follow your dream to have 1000 dogs.

Josie: Can you buy 1000 dogs?

Steve: That’s your dream…

Boys will be boys! What do you use think this phrase suggests?

Josie: I think it means like daddy I can’t change you, I can’t make you me, I can’t make you mommy, I can’t make you me because you are a boy, you‘re a dad and one day you’re actually going to be a grandpa, an uncle and that no matter what, you’re going to be a boy or a man.

Maya: I think it means that boys will be boys and girls will be girls

Steve: Suggesting what

Maya: That you shouldn’t try to change someone because of their gender.

Steve: I think what it means is  that there is one way boys are supposed to act so boys will be boys, people say that if they think boys are acting in a way they are supposed to act sometimes like if boys are being wild in class at school or wrestling, people might say boys will be boys because they think all boys act that way and are supposed to, so I think it’s a very stereotypical statement, it’s kind of saying all boys are the same.

My name is Ken and I was born in Los Angeles.

My name is Sophie and I was born in Taiwan.

If for one day you could be a male and  Vice versa what would you do?

Ken: Do you think you would do anything differently if you were boy?

Sophie: No, pretty much the same.

Ken: I think Women have a lot more interesting things with color and jewelry, things that I don’t do much, I might explore that.

What do you think it means to be a feminist to you?

Ken: I don’t know if we ever talk about being a feminist. Do you know what it means to be a feminist?

Sophie: No.

Ken: What do you think a feminist is? Have you heard that term?

Sophie: I’ve seen it on stella’s shirt. There is a lot that I don’t know what it means. Just tell me.

Ken: I think it’s about being free to be whatever you want as a girl or a woman and not feel like you are Limited by anything by a certain role that some people think that a girl or a woman should be like. I think you are pretty powerful as you are, I think that’s what being a feminist is. Being yourself no matter what. Does that make sense?

Sophie: Kind of!

Ken: When you hear someone say girl power?

Sophie: I hear a lot of kids say that.

Ken: What do you think that means?

Sophie: That girls can be as strong as boys.

Ken: Or stronger.

Sophie: they can have the same rights as men do.

Ken: Do you think that men have more rights than women do?

Sophie: Not really.

Ken: Sometimes do you think there are things that boys are good at that girls are not good at or the other way round.

Sophie: No I think they are equal.

Ken: Do you think other people think that?

Sophie Not all.

Pretend you have superpowers. What are they and how would you use them to seek justice?

Ken: Can you imagine me with superpowers?

Sophie: Not really.

Ken: A superpower to convince people to think of others. To see things from another persons view. That’s it Sophie! What if I had a superpower with which I could look at someone and I could make you swap your vision with that other person.

Sophie: That would be cool.

Ken: And so that you would see what the other person is thinking and that person would see what you are seeing so that you’re not looking at things just from your own perspective. I would go around and when I see people arguing I would switch their views or switch their perspectives just for a moment, it might not change their mind but they could see what the other person is seeing.

Sophie: I would want flying, transportation and speed. Flying so I could see from the sky and there wouldn’t be as much traffic than down below.  Teleportation if I’m in a really dangerous spot and something is falling at me I could transportate to somewhere.  Speed if someone is in trouble I could race over there and help them.

What worries you about bringing up girls in our male chauvinist world?

Ken: I worry that, well you think you can do anything you like which I’m glad about and you are a strong kid.

Sophie: I don’t think I can do everything.

Ken: This is what I sometimes worry about that you will stop thinking that you can do things as well as a boy because that’s what some people say and that you will change your own opinion of yourself because of what people are saying. You want to think like others do.

So I would worry about that but I also think that you have a strong mind and personality.

My name is Ben, I was born in New York City.

My name is Lila, I was born in Brooklyn.

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

Lila: It’s kind of saying that girls can do anything that boys can do.

Ben: They sure can and better half the time.

Women’s rights are human rights! You are going on a protest march. It’s time to prepare the manifesto banner, exchange opinions and tell us your slogan.

Ben: That sounds familiar what would you write.

Lila: I did write, it said “History has its eyes on you”.

You have just being rejected at a job interview, they chose a boy who was less qualified than you… find a reason that prompted them to choose him.

Lila: Because they thought that boys were more qualified even though apparently this certain one was less qualified. They thought that he’d work harder.

It depends on the job but maybe they needed a stronger person so they figured that a boy would be stronger but that’s not necessarily true. Or they needed a tall person to reach up to the tall shelves and that certain person was taller.

Ben: Or maybe they just like boys better than girls and that should be against the law.

Behind every great man there is always a great woman. What is your opinion on this phrase?

Lila: I guess it’s saying that even if there is a great man there is always going to be another great woman who’s just as great as that man.

Ben: Well I’m sure that’s true but that’s not what I hear in that. I think what it means is that throughout history there have been a lot more famous men than there have been women. For every great man, most were married or had a mother and that woman was behind them, not physically but enabling them to be as great as people thought they were with their contributions. Do you think that’s true that women help men to be greater? I do, I’d be useless without your mother, useless.

My name is Rob and I was born in the UK.

My name is Abby and I was born in Manhattan.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

Rob: Being a boy is a very unappetizing option for Abby!

Perhaps I would get more insight into what women are thinking, perhaps there are things that a woman  would tell  another woman different from what they tell a man. Maybe I would get some insight.

What does it mean to be a feminist?

Rob: Do you think yourself as a feminist Abby?

Abby: I don’t know what that means.

Rob: Well it means… I think it’s pretty simple, if there are places in the world or times in the world, circumstances where  a woman is naturally disadvantaged simply because she is a woman I think that is where you need to point it out and try to correct it.

Women’s rights are human rights! You are going on a protest march. It’s time to prepare the manifesto banner, exchange opinions and tell us your slogan.

Rob: If you were going to that march in Washington, if you were holding a sign what would it say for women’s rights.

I think the best slogan I saw was “she persisted” because that was a lady called Elizabeth Warren who was talking in the Senate, she was pretty much told to shut up and a lot of people, men and women did not like that and the phrase the man used  by Mitch McConnell  was she persisted and it became a celebration saying yes she’s absolutely should persist she should not be told to shut up. So I think that is a good slogan.

My name is Beatrice and I was born here in New York City.

My name is Adam and I was born in Cape Town, South Africa.

Adam: We both have a silly sense of humor.

Bea: I agree with that.

What do you think it means to be a feminist? 

Bea: That women should have the same rights as men.

Adam: I would agree with that, I think it’s fairly simple, equality overall.

Today you are in congress and a new law for recognition of women’s rights is being proposed. Exchange ideas and tell us briefly what the new article is.

Bea: Pay should be the same and more jobs for women in government.

Adam: I would say things like protecting and giving women sufficient time off when they have children would be a good right to have. Giving women access to healthcare, guaranteeing things like prenatal care and birth control. Things like these would be fantastic rights.

How do you see yourself and what will you be doing when you’re 25?

Bea: I think I’ll still be going to women’s marches and things like that and I’d want my job to be something related to working for women’s rights or even just doing that.

What lessons have you learned by bringing a daughter into the world?

Adam: The biggest lessons I have learnt has been just how few women there are in similar positions as men.  For example Bea has made this list; name all the things that a woman has never done. A woman has never been on the moon, never been president of the United States. The list goes on, I’m not sure I would’ve been as aware if I hadn’t had a daughter. How many things there are that Women haven’t been, especially in America.

Behind every great man there is always a great woman. What is your opinion on this phrase?

Bea:  I think that it means there are great men and there are women that are just as good but they don’t get the same… they don’t seem as good… because they’re women.

Adam: I think that’s a way of papering over the fact that when you study history books its mostly about men isn’t it?

Bea: Yeah!

I’m Gabriel,  I was born in Peru in 1975.

I’m Marisol,  I was born in United States here in 2007.

My name is Manuela and I was born in 2009 in the United States.

How do you resemble each other?

Marisol: We cook together, we eat, we sweep the floor. I help my dad put my brother to sleep.

Gabriel: We try to make a lot of friends all the time, we make jokes, we are loud it’s one of our characteristics. We play Capuera together, we dance almost every day. We spend so much time together we start to look like each other sometimes.

 If you could be a boy for a day and vice versa what would you do?

Marisol: I would play soccer, I would rock’n’ roll

Gabriel: I think if I could be a woman I would try to relate to everyone I know in a way that a woman relates to people because I think that a man relates to people in such  a different way than a woman. A woman has more sense of connection, more feeling on activities that they do together, that is one of the things I would appreciate doing if I could have a day as a woman, just try to have that sensitivity in the skin not try to keep it away from showing it.

What does feminism mean to you?

Manuela: It’s like being a girl.

Gabriel: I think to be a feminist means acknowledge the difference between females and males, appreciate the important difference that brings us to correlate with each other in society and not pretend that man and woman are exactly the same. We have so many different characteristics that feminism needs to be very important now we love so many characteristics from a woman, we tried to hide them for so many years, now I think we can use them to make it much better, the whole society and the world.

Pretend you have superpowers. What are they and how would you use them to seek justice?

Marisol: I would use them for rights and responsibilities because everybody needs to have responsibilities. I would have major powers to suck up the bad guys

Gabriel: Who are the bad guys?

Marisol: The robbers maybe?

Gabriel: But why do you think the robbers rob? Because they really need something, does that make them bad guys?

Marisol: What makes them bad guys is when they are greedy, we need to make them not be greedy and steal all the goods.

Gabriel: I think if I had superpowers I would like a superpower I saw in a movie. This guy could touch you and make you feel what somebody else was feeling. I would have the power to touch you and make you feel like how a cow is feeling when he’s being killed. Or when you scream at your sister, how your sister feels or when you are sad how much you can make me feel your sadness. A Superpower of empathy so everyone can get empathy from each other so it wouldn’t be that hard to understand each other in any situation we live.

If a man could actually understand how a woman feels when society is rejecting her it is one important thing but besides a woman every single other human being would feel a different thing and I think an empathy superpower would help us understand each other in the depths of how we feel inside in our own nature.

What worries you about bringing up girls in our male chauvinist world?

Gabriel: It doesn’t really worry me that much because I think we are coming to a time where females are understanding the power  they have, they are going through a very good time, they are going to show how much more talent they have and I think that they will overcome every single limitation they have. It doesn’t worry me that much and I think that the male chauvinist world is about to stop, we are trying to leave the last part of the tail and that’s why things are getting rough right now, it’s the last breathing of that era.

My name is Mikaela, I was born in Manhattan, New York.

My name is Vic and I was born in an old farmhouse on a dirt road in Sheldon, Vermont.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

Mikaela: I’d want to go shopping with him, he never does that with me.

I like being a girl so I don’t know what I would do.

Have a try at stuff that I would never do like dare devil stuff

Vic: Every job I’ve ever had everyone always says the women’s room is so much nicer than the men’s room, they even have a lounge and sofas. I think I would go and experience that. The men’s room is just filthy and disgusting.

Mikaela: In school they say that there are a lot of bad words in the boys room sometimes I don’t believe it so I would check that out.

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

Mikaela: It would definitely be woman’s rights. I’m reading the book hidden figures, it’s about the time when women weren’t allowed to have jobs, and it’s really interesting to see how women can do what men can do now and men can do what women can do but unless you look back you don’t know that.

So I think that being a feminist is about women’s rights.

Vic: Girls and women should feel not only comfortable but supported and encouraged to do what they want to do what they’re feeling, what they want to do regardless of whether that might be something that traditionally has been seen as more masculine or something more like a woman’s place, whatever that is it’s totally fine and okay.

My name is Vladimir and I was born in the Ukraine which was a part of the Soviet union at that time

My name is Dasha and I was born here.

Vladimir: What hear in this room?

Dasha: No in Brooklyn.

 What does it mean to be a feminist?

Dasha: What does feminist mean?

Vladimir: To defend the rights of women. I think that what we are trying to achieve now is to be equal, to have no difference between male and female, everyone is equal everyone’s created equally everyone smart everyone’s talented everyone has their personal ability females are no different from males and females can work the same jobs as a male they can be a programmer a hockey player a soccer player and have achievements in sports music everywhere and men can do the same thing.

What article would you want to read in today’s newspaper?

Vladimir: I think something nice like one extra day off for the ladies who are working and have a child at home. Let them have four working days a week instead of five days but the salary is the same the one day is paid as if they went to work.

My name is Aya and I was born in Tokyo, Japan.

My name is Ryu, I was born in Tokyo, Japan.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

Aya: The same things that I usually do because male and female aren’t that different, so however you act that way always.

What does it mean to be a feminist to you?

Aya: First of all I don’t know what the word means… fenemist! What does it mean?

Ryu: Let me think it’s a difficult question.

Aya: Maybe equal.

Ryu: Treat each gender equally.

You have been invited to a national radio station and have the chance to deliver two messages, confront one another before going on air, then each of you say one message.

Ryu: I would like to introduce the "He for She" campaign for the UN women.

Today you are in congress and a new law for recognition of women’s rights is being proposed. Exchange ideas and tell us briefly what the new article is.

Aya: Something like a logo or something that would remind everybody that we are all equal.

Like in school with soccer, sometimes they say it’s only for boys, it’s not right for people to say it’s strictly only for boys was strictly only figures when I think we can do whatever we want as long as it’s good people say that girls can only wear dresses that’s not true you should do whatever you want as long as it’s good and bad trust your instincts hello that says you can do whatever you want. Like at a ball they usually tell us to wear dresses but I wear jeans because they’re more comfortable.

Ryu: From a regulations point of view I think I’d prefer to have more culture recognition and understanding of women’s rights. So from that point of view we need to have some laws with mandatory training of women’s rights in elementary schools and even for grown-ups, mandatory annual training. I would propose that idea.

My name is Chris and I was born in Worcester, Massachusetts.

My name is Lissa and I was born in a Hotel… eh Hospital in Manhattan.

My name is Eliza and I was born in Manhattan.

How do you resemble each other the most?

Chris: Eliza and I share the same intensity and passion, we both have the same level of focus and when we get on to something we can’t get off of it. Like a lemonade stand and business opportunities but we also get disinterested very quickly. Lissa and I also share certain interests and passion, we share focus on emotional depth, we also share a passion for reading and politics. Lissa’s awareness of her own self and the world around her is astounding at such a very young age. My children I’ve always said that I have a deep love, I’ve always been very impressed with my kids I say this to them every day.

Eliza: Are you crying?

Chris: No, I feel like crying but I’m not going to cry.

If for one day you could be a male and vice versa what would you do?

Lissa: I would do things to prove that I do everyday things that the boys can do and boys can do everyday things that girls can do.

Eliza: I would wish to God to make me a girl again!

Chris: I’d be a punk rocker!

Lissa: But boys can be a punk rocker!

Chris: Yeah, that’s true good point… maybe I should just be a punk rocker. I wanna be lead singer though.

Eliza: Yeah I don’t think that’s ever going to happen!

What do you think it means to be a feminist?

Eliza: What’s a fenemis?

Lissa: It’s… can you ask daddy?

Chris: Your Great Great Great Great Grandmother was one of the leaders of the feminist movement.

Lissa: Explain to her what a feminist is, I don’t really know.

Chris: So what your great great Great great grandmother was one of the leaders at the Seneca Falls Convention in New York, she was one of the leaders of the feminist movement and she was one of the original founders of the feminist movement along with Elizabeth Katie Stanton and Susan B Anthony.

Lissa: That doesn’t explain anything!

Chris: No but listen! She established the women’s rights and the right to vote for women.

Lissa: It’s like woman’s rights?

Chris: Equal rights for women in the United States.

Lissa: So it’s like someone who believes in woman’s rights?

Chris: Right and there was a time in this country that you can’t even understand it where women didn’t have the same rights as men did.

Lissa: I do understand that. That’s what the whole march was about.

Chris: Remember when you went to the March in DC did you understand what that march was about.

Eliza: Yeah… Noo!

Chris: Do you know what daddy does for a living?

Eliza: You tell people that they need to go to jail!

Chris: No that was a long time ago but now daddy brings law suits on behalf of women who don’t earn as much money as men just because they are women. Some only make $.75 to every dollar that a man makes. Now some people say that Donald Trump believes that women shouldn’t have the same rights as men so that’s why they march.

Eliza: Can we go to the next question now?

What advice do you give to your daughters to achieve in life?

Chris: The most important thing is learning values that relate to developing into their own personalities. A lot of it has to do with power and achieving your own voice.

Eliza: Daddy you probably want us to stand up to ourselves!

Chris: For yourselves! That’s a lot of what it has to do with, having your own voice.  So there are different categories, personal expression, boundaries and what’s the big categories that we like?

Lissa: Spontaneous awesomeness?  I’m so good at that one!

Chris: So my advice to you is to be yourself and be awesome and find your own power.

Eliza: Very sweet.

Pretend you have superpowers. What are they and how would you use them to seek justice?

Eliza: What is justice?

Chris: Justice is a system of fairness!

Eliza: I’d like to see through walls and see what’s going on with other people and  see how I could fix it myself.

Lissa: I would be able to fly so I could fly around the country and see what’s going on and help people with their problems.

Chris: ….

Eliza: Your Brain isn’t thinking fast enough!

Chris: It would be the ability to stop time or go back in time, so then you could fix inequality.