Cowards hide behind screen name

Local columnist

Over hot chocolate (at least in my cup), I asked Portales coeds Desiree Cooper and Amy Waltner what it’s like being 20-year-old women.

“The glass ceiling hanging over me the rest of my life is a constant source of frustration,” said Cooper. “It is disheartening to face income disparity due to my anatomy rather than the quality of my work.”

Waltner said, “I have a voice and I will use it whether or not people judge me for my anatomy.”

Cooper, from Roswell, and Waltner, from Rio Rancho, said social media is a blessing and a curse.

“The upside is I can maintain friendships — if scrolling through someone's photo albums and ‘liking’ posts can be considered a ‘friendship’ — that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks,” Cooper said. “The downside is the need to frequently share exciting updates and photos to garner ‘likes’ and a sense of validation. Determining your self-worth this way is silly and terrifying.”

Waltner said, “I really don’t care if my Facebook friends make a sandwich. For the most part, it is used unprofessionally. Social media sites such as LinkedIn are better because it connects you professionally — not in a ‘Hey, look at me; my life is better than yours’ manner.”

Both think their generation falls short on political awareness, buying in to sound-bites instead of researching complex issues.

Cyber-bullying disgusts them. They think it is cowardly to hide behind a screen-name on such anonymous sites as Yik Yak to attack others’ physical or fashion appearance.

Their main exposure to sexual harassment on the High Plains has been cat-calling. They feel more vulnerable in larger cities.

Cooper said, “Men at my age are a mixed bag when it comes to being respectful to women, but that is true of every age group.”

Waltner said, “It shouldn’t be about teaching girls not to be raped or expose themselves, but to teach men how to respect. Respect doesn’t start where my skirt ends.”

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