Thanks for sharing your story, these things can be hard to revisit!! I've watched this on facebook and had mixed feelings....
on one hand, it's so important that finally finally finally women be taken seriously since we all experience harrowing oppression daily and have been sexually assault and some much worse than others. And yes I have as well as a child and nearly again as an adult.
on the other hand as Lindy West says “I wish women didn’t have to rip our pasts open and show you everything and let you ogle our pain for you to believe us.”
Anyway, I appreciate you sharing your story regardless and support you and all women in claiming our right to own our bodies and exist free of sexual abuse and exploitation!!
I moved on but I have no issue to hear about my “sisters” stories and reminded to my own. I never actually forgot and I am glad some have the opportunity to let go .....speaking out feels like healing
that's a great perspective, glad it feels that way!
Also, the last part of Lindy West's quote is really about having to prove our pain to patriarchy so that we are listened to, it THIS she and I too wish wasn't necessary
Yes, this has been a great help because we can see we're not alone and we will be believed. <3
Yes! Women have rights over their own bodies. A right that should not be taken from them.
We shouldn't have to show everything in order to be believed, but this campaign shows what happens when we don't tell. EVERYTHING is hidden, ignored and conveniently not seen. Because we hide the pain away, we aren't healed and we keep that with us forever.
I'm sure, if those boys of my own age had daughters that came to them and said, "Dad, a boy touched me..." "Dad, a boy I liked grabbed my hands and groped me and then tried to force me to go upstairs with him..." They wouldn't think back to the day when they did that to another girl.
Either because they don't remember or because they choose to forget.
You are so right on both counts. And if I keep following the thread of thought, we don't tell because we aren't validated when we do, often women are shamed or blamed or worse when they share, so indeed speaking up is essential and much safer when we do it together.
Actually, @michelle.gent I just thought about all of this again and I need to apologize. I shouldn't have made my initial comment to your post. Whether the point is valid or not doesn't matter, this just wasn't the time nor the place to say it and I'm sorry. Your story is important and needs to be heard, supported and validated and I truly apologize for any thing I said that detracted from that.
No... can't see anything that detracted... conversation rolling on... it's all good :)