A woman’s power is not something to be taken lightly. Inside of each woman lies a reservoir of astounding potential. We live in a toxic world in which the power of women is being disregarded and disrespected under the disguise of empowerment. Today women are painted as fragile victims and objects to be taken advantage of. Instead of being taught to fight for what you deserve and what you want in life, women are being taught that it should be handed to them. The liberal world is destroying our strong women. To this, I say “enough”.

I have been told time and time again that my conservative values are shameful and even disgusting. I have been told that I am disrespecting women like me by believing in conservative values. This is simply not true; in fact, the conservative influences in my life have taught me the opposite. I have been taught that there is nobility in every person and that people from all walks of life deserve to be respected, especially women. The mentors in my life have taught me that every woman is unique and capable of achieving great things. I fully believe and hope to enforce these teachings.

I have chosen a path of morality and chastity as I believe it gives me strength. I have built a stable foundation of beliefs that fortify my abilities and make me a positive influence. I believe that I can teach others to follow a path of morality and to improve their lives in any way they can. I will use my influence to fight for freedom for all people. I know that I can create a better world for new generations to grow and thrive in.

I have had many influences in my life however, the book Wild Swans has inspired my conservative beliefs the most. Wild Swans portrays three generations of women living in communist China. I have seen how they overcame hate and oppression with grace and confidence. For example, the main characters grandmother faces sexism and is forced to become a warlords concubine at age 15. She finally escapes and has the courage to find true love. I love how the main character does her best despite her situation. Wild Swans shows the importance of strong and resilient families. It uses the main characters mother and father as an example of love and companionship in an ever loveless world. I try to follow the example of the main character who fought for fairness and freedom.

There is negativity all around us trying to destroy our values. It is our choice whether or not to listen to them. While the voices of the oppressors and destroyers are loud, only the voices of the courageous are true. It is our choice to listen to them and their teachings. As a conservative woman, I have been silenced in the past. I have been degraded and discouraged. I have been told to back down. I am here today to say I have not and will not back down. I will fight for the rights of the weak. I am a conservative woman because it makes me stronger. It makes me an unstoppable force for good.