I didn't think women needed protection from anything - that women weren't oppressed - as a teen. I lived in a community in which my interests were mostly supported (computer hardware, gaming), my teachers were mixed gender pretty evenly!, my mom worked, etc. there were weird instances of sexism here and there, but it was minor.
As a senior, I was raped. It was supposed to be a party, but it was a lie. My ex was there and dragged me to a room where someone else blocked the door. I said no repeatedly and tried to physically push him away, but at 19 I weighed 85 lbs. I was not strong, and he'd been abusuve. He'd dumped and cheated too, so I'm not sure why he punished me later, but he did.
When it was over, I had to crawl to PP for Plan B. I was from a catholic family so this was actually difficult emotionally, but at the time, it had JUST become available without a script for adults. I had to lie about where my paycheck had gone. I never went to the cops because the dude who had set up the fake party knew people in the force and promised me no one believe me and I believed that. I felt gross and horrible anyway. Used up. Everyone I told called me a lying whore. I didn't talk about it anymore for at least six years. Online or in person.
I had a scorched earth approach- anyone involved in his life was out of mine. I moved for college and then again afterwards. I was never near him again. I quit hugging friends and my dad, and my dad actually died before I admitted it to my mom. So he thought I just didn't like him as much anymore and that killed me.
I'm telling this story because I sympathize with you! Before I thought feminism was done and succeeded and the US was equal. Being raped and lacking support for it, as well as emergency contraceptive almost being unavailable, made me realize there are still ways to improve equality. I don't care so much about pay gap or lower wages for women who've taken maternity leave.
But I do now care about ensuring access to contraceptives in an election cycle where candidates (Cruz for sure) want to ban it all, who want to enforce no abortions even for situations like mine. No plan B for situations like mine. That scares the piss out of me.
But I still sympathize because I used to agree with you totally b