Feminine Rage
This will be a little different than most of my posts have been. I post my opinions only with backing, I cite my sources, I try to craft an argument I can support and that I think people could and should care about. This week will be different because I am tired. I am tired, I am overwhelmed, I am too close to feeling hopeless with the state of everything.
Little girls realize early on things are stacked against them. My mom always pushed to get as much education and as many titles as my sister and I could because “It’s different for girls out here” or “We need a little extra credibility”. It became so accepted for me, even growing up in a part of the U.S. deemed “woke” (Sacramento) with a mom who worked in the state government. I’m active politically and try to use my voice the way I’ve been told to, I’ve protested at the California capitol building since high school and was interviewed on the news about it only to show up again two years later after Roe was overthrown protesting in 100° heat with a heart monitor on. I’ve written letters to representatives at home and now in the state that college has forced to become my home, I have always tried to do what everyone says is the right way to go about things.
The flaw is in the feelings. We’re feeding into what women are already told to do. Don’t get too emotional, don’t let them see you cry, keep a level head and act logically or they won’t respect you. Well they don’t respect us. I am emotional, I am terrified watching my rights be taken away state by state, the idea of having to watch kids I may be forced to bear have their genitalia inspected by teachers against their will only to be shot at recess later by a military grade weapon and have these people offer me their thoughts and prayers. I’m afraid they’ll take my medical care away from me next. I’m afraid to graduate college in a matter of weeks to enter a crumbling economy with debt I was promised would be forgiven. I’m afraid of the direction we’re heading socially where Andrew Tate has such a hold on these young boys that April 24 is a date to legitimately fear now as a woman and sexual assault survivor.
Don’t let them tell you not to feel afraid or show your emotions. Yes, obviously there are things to be done and we have to function to do them, but feel what you need to feel and don’t be ashamed of it. There’s plenty of reason to be enraged and terrified and the men who say otherwise just don’t have the life experiences we’ve had that open our eyes to what’s going on. You aren’t crazy, you’re cautious.
