League Of Women Voters Mary Warren Impact Scholarship Winner Elliott Snyder's Winning Essay

Lakewood League of Women Voters Scholarship Winner: Elliott Snyder

Why is equal representaion important?

Equal representation has many definitions, you could interpret it as the methods by which people are represented, or by the way that representatives are assigned to voting groups, with equal representation meaning that all groups are fairly represented. Equal Representation is crucial to have rights for everyone and to be understood by certain groups of people who are just like you. Equal representation is how women have rights to privacy or how women have the right to vote. Equal representation is how people of color have the right to be citizens and also have the right to vote. Equal representation is how LGBTQ+ rights have slowly begun to improve. 

Equal representation is not needed in just government. It is needed in schools, sports, the workplace, and everywhere else. In sports we look at the first trans woman to win a gold medal in swimming in the Olympics, this provides young people who identify as a different gender hope that they can do whatever inspires them. In schools and public places we allow everyone to be equal, boys and girls aren’t compared as much. Same with the workplace, now women are bosses. Women are business owners and hold more power because of equal representation. Because of equal representation women of all kinds come together to get the rights they deserve.

Equal representation is not only important to have when it comes to voting and playing sports and holding high position jobs, but also when it comes to children having positive figures to look up to, people who are representatives of people just like them. Children seeing problems that aren’t prevented by people in politics could lower their self esteem and confidence. It is important to have representation in ways that create a sense of them being good enough. It also creates an idea in their minds that if there is something wrong going on with their rights being underrepresented, they think they cannot stand up for themselves because no one else is. 

Equal representation blocks out things like slavery happening again. Equal representation prevents women from not having the right to vote. Equal representation ends discrimination of LGBTQ+ in the workplace. Equal representation creates room for transgenered equality. Equal representation makes it easier to make changes for people like them. Equal representation is crucial to creating equality everywhere. 

For equal representations is not just for your basic human rights but also for your political beliefs. It is so important to have people who think just like you in politics representing you and your community. It shows not only validation towards your opinions as well as fights for things that you are hoping happen in the government’s future. Whether federal, state or city governments, it is important all opinions are heard. 

Equal representation is needed everywhere. It is so important for the young minds, in sports and schools, in the workplace, in politics and more.

Elliott plans tp attend Michigan State University this fall and major in Higher Education.