I've spent a fair bit of time reading this hashtag today which is trending following the deaths of 7 people in the states after a young man decided people deserved to die since he wasn't getting laid.
It's sobering. And angering. And sad. And infuriating.
A person I used to follow and have some respect for, a female, in the oil and gas industry, tweeted that white american woman shouldn't be whining on this hashtag because we are so privileged. The kicker, she has a 9 year old daughter. So, the fact that I was born in a fairly safe country, where I do have a lot of freedoms, means that I should still put up with men making derogatory comments about my body? and I should just happily accept that its not recommended that I go outside by myself after dark in the city? Because its not as bad here, so I should just be grateful that I'm not getting raped daily. I should just be happy that I only live in fear of rape.
No. That doesn't help. Yes, it is far worse in other places. That doesn't change the fact that here, I have the freedom to express it. I can be heard. I can make it known to people, I can be an advocate for women who cannot advocate for themselves.
Its not right. It is not ok that my friends and I shares stories about when guys have creeped us out. It is not ok that we have to be extra careful about where we go, and what we say, and what we do, so as not to incite violence against ourselves. It is not ok that when I stay home alone, I keep 911 on the number speed dial on my phone. That I consider carrying a knife in my vehicle. That my best friend carries a blade with her when she runs outside, even though she also has a huge dog. It is not ok, that as a single girl, when considering getting a dog, one of my top priorities is the protection factor.
It is not ok that I have had male coworkers try and throw me under the bus on several occasions when they fucked something up. It is not ok that my male friends feel like its ok to call me cutie, or sweetie, or make sexual comments about my boobs and my body.
It is never ok to blame a victim. This shit needs to stop. I am so infuriated right now. And honestly, I'm a little bit scared too. I expressed a couple of tweets with the hash tag #yesallwomen tonight and I know there has been significant backlash to some girls from posting. I'm hopeful I'm not one of them.
Loading comments...