At first, I was unsure about going to this conference because I was not interested in missing a day of skiing, especially since I had no idea what it was going to be about. My friend, however, who was on the core committee, was not about to let me miss it, and I am very happy that she persuaded me to go. The things that I learned that day were far more valuable than just another ski day would have been. The GFAC conference was about the strengths that women have and how to use them.

The first workshop that I went to was called “Marketing Yourself: the Brand Called You.” In this, I learned about advertising and the ways in which teenagers are marketed. The teachers in this workshop showed us how we are more individual than we might think because of these advertisers’ strategies. Next, I went to “Arts and Visual Culture,” which was about the messages about identity and self worth that are conveyed by advertising images.

The last workshop that I participated in that day was by Pat Schroeder, a very influential politician. She is an amazing woman who won a congressional election that everyone told her she was going to lose and then stayed in Congress for another 30 years. Schroeder fought for the 18-year-old vote and laws concerning maternity leave. She taught us to question everything that we learn and to always say what we believe in. Schroeder also told us that the U.S. is ranked the 17th country in the world for women’s rights and equality. These workshops were not boring in the least and everyone there enjoyed them quite thoroughly.

It was after lunch that Eve Ensler, writer and performer, spoke. She has written controversial things, such as “The Vagina Monologues,” which made some people in Bozeman uncomfortable about her coming here. If these people could have heard her speak, then they would have changed their minds. If anyone else had been the keynote speaker, then the conference would not have had the effect on me that it did. Eve Ensler began her speech, called “Being Great Instead of Good,” by saying that “the world is in desperate need of our attention.” Before I heard her, I thought, “yeah, but what are we going to do about it?” Now I am thinking about how I will accomplish what she has inspired me to do.

Ensler talked about the “good” role that women and girls have been expected to lead, which includes being non-aggressive, careful with other peoples’ feelings, waiting to be discovered, waiting to be rescued, and pleasing others. In her piece entitled “Manifesto to Young Women and Girls,” Eve told us to break away from these expectations and to fight for what we believe in and to say no when there is something that we don’t want to do.

“If women were to open their hearts, there would be change overnight,” was something that Eve said to prompt women to look at their emotional sides. Ensler stressed sharing feelings and crying as a way to heal wounds. Eve herself was very open about painful things that she has been through in her life, and this seemed to give everyone at the speech permission to do the same.

“If someone tells you not to do something that you feel compelled to do, do it!” Eve said. She inspired all the girls there to fight for what they believe is right and to find their voices. When asked how she found her voice, she said, “If you write it, you will find a new voice within.” While giving her a standing ovation, I was so moved by her words that I began to cry. These tears fell because I had just heard the words that I have been wanting to say my whole life.

I am very glad that I opted to go to this conference instead of skiing (the conditions weren’t good anyway), because what I learned that day I can take with me my whole life. Next year, I am convinced that I will be part of the Girls For A Change committee so that I can try to make the conference as good as this one. It was a great success in inspiring change in the lives of the girls of Bozeman.

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