While the #MeToo moment may have passed, the problem hasn’t. Rebecca Traister describes it as a version of Groundhogs Day, reminding us that “we just did this — like all of this — almost exactly a year ago” when Trump was exposed in his Access Hollywood tape. And yet, here we are.
“The conversation we should be having is about mechanisms far larger than any one perpetrator”
It’s time to move beyond shock and into action. It’s time to acknowledge that these are not issues of the few but issues of the whole. It’s time we name it clearly, that this is not gender violence, this is structural violence.
And it’s time it ends. Whatever our location to this issue, we all must embrace the social responsibility we have to one another and do what needs to be done to heal our human family.
Kerri Kelly, founder of CTZNWELL
At CTZNWELL, we work at the intersection of practice and politics, because we understand that it’s not just about what we do to change the world but how we do it. Each week, we call on the perspectives of front-line organizers and spiritual leaders to help us make sense of what’s happening in the world AND cultivate capacity to show up and be bold in the face of whatever. This is WELLread.
October 25, 2017*
THE SHORTCUT
…to what’s inside:Less quitting/more doing for America. ⚡ Yes, guns. Still. ⚡ The #metoo conversation we have to have. ⚡ Become an effective bystander. ⚡ Weed is the new wellbeing. ⚡ What’s your listening face?
THE WEEKLY RUNDOWN
- Enough is enough. While we admire their integrity and courage (TY, John McCain, Bob Corker, Ben Sasse, Jeff Flake [vid]…), we’re like “Wait, Don’t quit! We need you.”
- At least 2500 people have been shot since Las Vegas. When is enough enough? P.S. If we die, please politicize our deaths.
- This is the conversation we should be having. Because: “The fact is, we just did this — like, all of this — almost exactly a year ago. This is an absolutely brilliant read on how we label sexual predators sick so we don’t have to deal with society’s larger, far-reaching, oppressive, chronic illness.
- While the GOP begins starving Obamacare, the Dems try to revive a public option that ensures everyone is taken care. And take note, ACA enrollment runs from November 1-December 15.
- And 45 is following Norman Vincent Peale’s advice to become the most powerful positive thinker. Is Trump the next self-help apostle? God help us.
TRUTH TO POWER
While the #MeToo moment may have passed, the problem hasn’t. Whether you’re on the side of the survivor or the oppressor or the bystander or all of them, we’ve got work to do. All of us. Because sexual harassment impacts everyone. While 1 in 3 women (1 in 6 men) experience sexual harassment in their lifetime, 65% of survivors say no one helped them. We need truth-tellers, brave spaces and courageous conversations about who we need to BE to end sexual assault.
Here is a good place to start — Teo Drake’s Tonglen practice to keep our hearts open so that we can fully participate in collective healing. And here are some perspectives that center the voices of youth, queer and/or transgender people of color and immigrants. For when you witness sexual harassment at work, check this out. You can read and share stories at Hollaback here. A Call to Men provides helpful resources for men who are ready to speak up. If you’re in school, you should study your rights under Title IX. RAINN offers free advice on how to be an ally to survivors. And Adrienne Marie Brown guides us in reclaiming the pleasure of consent.
BREAK THE SILENCE
Ready to break the silence? The People’s Supper has been hosting dinners since January 20th to bridge people back together and foster resilience. This month, they released a special guidebook and have called on people to host dinners centered around the issue of sexual harassment. These dinners are designed specifically for survivors of assault and harassment. A collaboration of Faith Matters Network, The Dinner Party, and Hollaback!, this project is vital these days.
Speaking of Hollaback!, they are hosting another free bystander training next month. This time it’s to train trainers to host trainings. You get that? Don’t miss it. It’s online. It’s incredibly valuable. Since the election, Hollaback! has trained thousands of people to safely and effectively stand up for each other in the face of harassment and hate.
WELLNESS
We know. We know. It’s incense, but you get the idea.
Get ready, weed is the newest wellness trend (or so we’re told). Check out how everyone’s getting high on the mat, in the kitchen, and at high-intensity training.
THIS.
You know that face you make when you’re not listening but you’re trying to front like you are? Don’t lie. We all do it. Insecure creator, Issa Rae posted hers, which was actually Gavin Thomas, and a Twitter storm of listening faces followed. They’re so good. What’s your listening face?
And all jokes aside, listening is an act of love.
