Defying all odds, I’m a conservative woman from Puerto Rico

I am a strong, conservative woman, and my conservatism is based on the ideals of love, respect, education, and security. It is a privilege and blessing to be born in a democratic republic where individual rights are truly respected. I appreciate that I live in a country where no one should live in fear of possessing a specific viewpoint because they know they are protected by the Constitution and will not face discrimination, and where different cultures blend together to mourn tragedies and praise the more positive traditions of this country.

For these reasons, I consider myself a patriotic, proud, conservative female.

I am a proud conservative woman because we should be teaching young girls to aspire after grasping others’ attention by becoming prominent leaders within society who help create policy reforms, instead of encouraging them to strip bare. It is not necessary to have our voices heard by showing off our bodies.

One would think that because I am Latina, I should automatically be a liberal feminist, but I am not. I do not believe in false identity politics as a means to garner true social reform, because it is superficial. What we really need to be doing is emphasizing common human needs and seeking equal rights for all human beings irrespective of their race, gender, culture, sex, or disabilities. To truly believe in equal rights for men and women, we must be willing not to degrade male counterparts and push to include their perspectives while working together across all areas of policy. The world can be an evil place, but I am not afraid to live within it if we learn to take care of each other.

I am not afraid to speak out against injustices and fight for what I believe in, as my views are just as important as those on the opposite side. I believe we are better off if people have the opportunity to have options, which equates to more freedom and the capacity to create a better life for oneself.

A book that has significantly resonated with me is Freedom From Speech by Greg Lukianoff. I have dealt with attacks up close and personal, as well as constant online/offline bullying by those on the Left, against my freedom to talk about conservative values on campus. They feel entitled to censor my beliefs because they “offend” theirs. This book has continually motivated me to keep expressing them regardless because it is imperative that students on college campuses across America promote healthy debates.

I have been called names. I have been called ignorant, a bigot, and even a traitor to my own “people” (as in, to my Puerto Rican culture). President Theodore Roosevelt once famously said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” I got more involved on campus and in issues that most affected my community. I founded and presided over my own chapter of College Republicans in my old campus, was vice chairman of the College Republican Federation of Puerto Rico, and upon my recent move to Arizona, was appointed to the treasurer position of the Arizona Federation of College Republicans. Being one of the few young females so actively involved in college-level conservative politics on an island that is so unfortunately deeply rooted in machismo and the status quo, I defied all kinds of stereotypes regarding female conservatives.

I am evidence that females who may be considered old-fashioned are not ill-informed of actual policymaking. I support lower taxes for hard-working citizens, such as my grandparents who, to this day, work tirelessly from early morning to midnight every day at a bakery they own just to provide an opportunity for us and those less fortunate in a small town populated by so much poverty and corruption. They provided the necessary experiences for me to witness that money is earned, not given, nor grown on trees.

I am a proud, conservative woman thanks to these people, idealists such as Greg Lukianoff, and my grandparents. Thanks to them and those before me in this country, a land of opportunities, I can confidently achieve my ambitions.

Vianca Rodriguez is a student at Arizona State University. She is the winner of the #ShesConservative 2018 Network of Enlightened Women Essay Contest, college category.

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