According to my parents, I came out of the womb arguing--whether it was about what to have for dinner, the right answer on a test, or for no reason at all. While this popular family tale is definitely an exaggeration, it would explain how I came to love debate so much. For many people, hearing the word “debate” might bring to mind the presidential debates -- or what they do with relatives at Thanksgiving dinner -- but it’s a huge part of my life. I was on my high school’s debate team and now I’m an active member of the executive board of my college’s debate team. Currently, I compete on the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) circuit. While APDA has taught me invaluable tips on public speaking (in addition to more philosophical theory than I ever thought I’d need to know), it’s come with a battle against sexism.

Many of us cringed as news outlets criticized Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits and ‘shrill’ voice during the 2016 presidential debates, but female debaters deal with this on a regular basis. Many of my friends describe being judged, even in high school debate, for the length of their skirts, for the height of their heels, and for how aggressive their tone got as they spoke. While women are punished (by being given lower speaker scores, and maybe even by losing the debate round) for being too loud, fast, or ‘shrill,’ men are rewarded for these exact same attributes. This double standard makes me and my female friends incredibly frustrated, because it highlights how debate is not simply merit-based; like many other activities, it’s tinged with sexism.

But this type of gender discrimination doesn’t only come during the actual debate round. Even before anyone starts to speak, there are sexist preconceived notions about how smart women are, and what topics they know. All-male teams tend to run cases (where they present one side of an topic and the other team is quickly forced to come up with arguments for the other side) about economics, foreign policy, sports, and extremely niche subjects. While of course this is a generalization, it typically rings true when an all-male team is competing against an all-female team; the assumption is that women don’t know anything about subjects that are commonly deemed “masculine.”

Even before anyone starts to speak, there are preconceived notions about how smart women are, and what topics they know about.

Additionally, APDA’s executive board has historically been dominated by men. While more and more women have been running for and winning positions recently, it wasn’t so long ago that the leadership of the circuit was exclusively a boys’ club. And overall, many more men than women compete every weekend. Being a woman in a male-dominated space is challenging, especially when you think you might be judged first and foremost for your gender.

With that said, here’s a few things I’ve learned about combating gender-based discrimination during my time debating. I’ve found that these strategies have also been helpful in other spaces that are traditionally populated mostly by men.

1) Connect with the women around you.

Even if they’re your competition (like at a debate tournament), we all need to stick together to gain the most political capital possible to ensure that more women are in leadership positions enacting feminist policies, which will help all women in the long run. Also, having someone who understands what you’re facing can be liberating, because it reminds you that you’re not alone.

2) Don’t be afraid to call out BS when you see it.

If you suspect that you’re being judged unfairly based on your gender, say something! On the APDA circuit, we have several diversity initiatives that try to prevent and fix biases that influence judging decisions and treatment of women, so it’s easy to reach out if I’m concerned that I’m facing prejudice. Often, men aren’t expecting to be called out for sexism (especially if their actions were unintentional), so you can make sure that there’s a conversation in which they must become responsible for their actions and hopefully learn that they’re not acceptable.

3) Participate in gender equality initiatives whenever possible.

Not every extracurricular activity or workplace environment will have something like this, but it’s empowering to be a part of a group working towards the common goal of parity. If you and your female friends can run for a leadership position, try to! Representation is so important, and as a leader, you’ll be able to be more influential and speak for those who, for whatever reason, cannot.

4) Don’t give up!

Stand your ground. You’re smart and capable. Whether you’re in college, graduate school, or the work force, you deserve to be treated equally. Even when it gets hard, and you’re acutely feeling the unfairness of gender discrimination, by fighting through it and advocating for women, you’re improving the experiences of other women for the future. You’re essentially a role model, so don’t surrender to sexist norms and make them seem acceptable to others.

Debate has turned into a highly empowering activity for me, even with the upward battle against inequality, and I know that many of my friends feel the same way. We all experience sexism in our lives, whether through microaggressions or explicit discrimination, but there are definitely ways to mitigate its harms and fight for what you believe in.

Hannah is a student studying sociology at Hamilton College. You can usually find her powerlifting at the gym, enjoying picnics in Central Park with her friends, or doing an excessive amount of online shopping.