All around the world, New Years is a celebration of family, friends and love. Following the tradition started by Adolph Ochs, the owner of the New York Times, thousands had come to Times Square to witness the 11,875-pound crystal ball drop. As I stood, freezing, in the numbing New York City weather, for two and a half hours, I had plenty of time to look around. Times square was a celebration of the female body.

We have seen thousands, perhaps millions get up, and protest. Women around the world are demanding a change, and the phenomenon has gained momentum. The equal pay of men and women, women having the rights to do to their bodies as they please, women having equivalent say in media and politics, women being paid the same respect as men. We have heard it non-stop through out 2014, and I solute those who have fought long and hard for these issues. But it boggles the mind to think that we have neglected the issues that are right in front of our faces, very literally.

Being a sixteen year old young woman, I can give over the tragic truth of the effects of half dressed woman surrounding our day, every day, has on the human brain. Despite being a religious Jew, and despite being brought up by parents who taught their six daughters to be strong women, it is hardly enough to fall back on. The pressures put onto women, young and old, to be lusted after, is only counter acting all the work that we have put into this gender equality war. We are paving a long treacherous road for those girls and boys behind us.

Young women like me, are taught to be feminists. Truthfully speaking, teenagers don't pay particular attention to Susan B. Anthony, or Emmeline Pankhurst, but we look to the female figures that we have today, many of who call themselves feminists. Miley Cyrus, who has had her fair share of attention this past year, told the BBC last November, "I feel like I'm one of the biggest feminists in the world because I tell women to not be scared of anything." She then said to Cosmopolitan, in December 2013, that "I'm a feminist in the way that I'm really empowering to women, I'm loud and funny and not typically beautiful", yet she forgot to mention that she weights close to one hundred pounds. I wondered, after reading this, if any mothers or fathers in the audience at Cyrus's 2014 VMA's concert should happen to agree. Miley Cyrus uses the title feminist to do whatever the hell she wants, and be applauded for it. There is nothing "feminist" about prancing around in your bra and underwear, in front of a thousand twelve year old girls.

Another one of our infamous, self acclaimed "feminists" that we have here with us today, is none other than Beyoncé. She quoted in British Vogue, "I guess I am a modern day feminist, I do believe in equality." She later told the Shriver Report "We need to stop buying into the myth about gender equality. It isn't a reality yet." How does Beyoncé Knowles expect real gender equality to possibly become a reality when her music videos, even those that claim girls "Run the World," objectify a woman's body under the cloak of empowerment? Her sexualization of femininity is appalling, and yet our desensitization to these offenses cause us to be fooled into thinking that this is what a powerful woman looks like. Knowles, along with millions of other celebrities, knows what will catch the audience's attention. They then take advantage, branding it as "feminism", or "being a strong woman". Would her videos get millions of views if she were wearing a normal amount of clothing? I think we can all agree that probably not.

Yes, I disagree with Beyoncé's game plan as to how we can finally achieve gender equality. I personally see the defects that being somewhat naked on stage, and in videos, can have on her desire for gender equality. I cannot begin to understand how is it now a good thing to not be sacred of anything, as Cyrus said. I could not disagree more. I firmly know that we should be scared of the effects that singing on stage in your underwear have not only on other women, but primarily on men. We are looked at as strong, independent, bodies.

One does not have to read an article to learn about the ever-growing sexualization of young girls. You have only to download Instagram and browse. And who is to blame? Is it society? Is it the irresponsible parent? Is it the eleven-year-old girl who sent a nude to a boy in her class? Is it the men who subtly force girls to dress and act like they do?

Sex sells. Nobody knows that more than Hollywood and unfortunately, in our day and age, Hollywood has a life force of its own. So many of the women in Hollywood promote their image off the "feminist" bandwagon. They sell, we buy. Slowly but surely, all of the disgraceful stunts they pull off in public are looked at as strong, and independent. They show the world, through their music videos, through their pictures through their concerts, that all we're good for is the gap between our legs.

Maybe I am sick of hearing teenage girls cry about how they are not pretty enough, or, like myself, wondering if I should eat that or not. It could also be the sight of teenage girls walking in below freezing weather in mini dresses. It is bad enough when young girls are dependent on the attention of boys, it should not, by any means, continue into adulthood.

Feminism today does not mean the same thing as it did during the suffragists. The word "feminist" has been hijacked, and we are all falling for the fraudulent meaning. Yes, you can claim that you are strong, and you stand for feminism, but the proof is in the pudding. The fact, that on New Years, Times Square was under attack, from absolutely all sides, with seductive woman on massive screens, is a dire truth. The fact that almost all advertisements have a woman's body part, stuck in there, somewhere on the billboard is definitely a problem. We women have fallen weak, and have given in to what we are expected to look like, act like, and be like.

If society won't change, then women must take that change into their own hands. Not just for their sake, but for the sake of the females all around the world, and the females to come. Let's try to demand respect and attention a different way this year. With our clothes on.