Here at 2WC, we dedicate a fair amount of bandwidth to women’s issues. Our love of movies, television, and theater is quite evident.
However, even in the midst of our dorking out over, or reviewing the latest film, we like to lend our voices to the girl power conversation (…skirt the issue).
So you better believe we have more than a few thoughts on the #YesAllWomen campaign that took off on the heels of last weeks tragic shootings at UC-Santa Barbara.
First of all, let us make this clear, the outpouring of support for the #YesAllWomen campaign is not simply a reaction to this one tragic event. To say that the #YesAllWomen movement ignores the victims of this tragedy is to completely miss the point, and derails the conversation.
That was the trigger, the final straw if you will, but this is the result of years and years and years of women putting up with and making allowances for the kind of behavior and mentality that leads to this sort of senseless violence against women.
This is a dialogue that’s been necessary for a very long time. No, all women have not been sexually assaulted, but we do all live with the repercussions of living in a society where it’s far too common.
#YesAllWomen is an important and long overdue conversation.
Why?
Because part of our high school education was learning how to carry our keys so we could easily stab an attacker should we ever be assaulted.
Because “he must like you” is not an appropriate thing to tell a child who’s bleeding from her hands after being pushed down a cement driveway by a boy.
Because being female should not be an invitation for strangers to tell you to “smile honey” as you’re minding your own business and going about your day.
Sadly, these are just a few examples of all too common occurrences (not to mention a whole other slew of offensive comments that come with being female and an identical twin).
Just to be clear, we, and most women chiming in on this conversation, are not sharing this for your pity, or just to complain. We’re sharing to let you know that this is what we put up with on a daily basis, and because the first step to fixing a problem is to acknowledge that there is in fact a problem.
While some may not take notice of these #YesAllWomen stories, or brush them off as superficial complaints, but some may also listen. That listening could even turn into understanding, and hopefully, eventually it could turn into change.
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…bi-daily smile…
