“Light up the darkness.” - Bob Marley “I Never Screamed” Part of me is really not comfortable writing and sending this post. It’s brazen and uncomfortable and triggering. There’s another part of me, though, that’s tired of hiding from the uncomfortable. The unsanitized. The messy. The
...and because it's come up in some other discussions I've been having, I want to reiterate your point that those of us who aren't straight cis pale dudes need to stand in solidarity with each other. Our rights are linked.
Substack doesn't offer a crying emoji like FB does. If it did, that's what I would have chosen... I had tears in my eyes as I read this, Vanessa. I can recall when we all thought, "well, if I wear this or do that" people will think I deserve "it." That thing we don't want to name. And then it turned out we weren't wearing "this" or weren't doing "that" but "it" was still somehow our fault. that we got what we deserved. That thing we don't want to name. Then the 70s and the ERA! and "women's lib" and the sexual revolution. We were going to change it al! We were going to be able to claim our autonomy and our worth--no one was going to stop us! And then reality...and here we are. I never screamed.
...and because it's come up in some other discussions I've been having, I want to reiterate your point that those of us who aren't straight cis pale dudes need to stand in solidarity with each other. Our rights are linked.
Neither did I scream. Love you lots. 🦋
Thank you. You are brave. I love your heart and your drive.
Substack doesn't offer a crying emoji like FB does. If it did, that's what I would have chosen... I had tears in my eyes as I read this, Vanessa. I can recall when we all thought, "well, if I wear this or do that" people will think I deserve "it." That thing we don't want to name. And then it turned out we weren't wearing "this" or weren't doing "that" but "it" was still somehow our fault. that we got what we deserved. That thing we don't want to name. Then the 70s and the ERA! and "women's lib" and the sexual revolution. We were going to change it al! We were going to be able to claim our autonomy and our worth--no one was going to stop us! And then reality...and here we are. I never screamed.