By Sandie Syke
This is one for all who haven’t found their voices yet or those who have but do not possess the courage to speak.
The ones who are just realising the injustice that they face daily. The ones for whom the lashes are a part of their daily lives, who knew something wasn’t right but didn’t quite know what.
The many who don’t know what to believe and wonder if maybe all of this is too extreme. “Shouldn’t things be left alone? Maybe just change one or two things and stop fighting?”
The ones who still enjoy traditional female roles and feel like the feminist movement is alienating them. The ones who cannot be a part of the movement. The ones who think this may not align with their religious beliefs.
To those who just want to find a way to live with the system, and thrive in their own small ways. Those who don’t want to struggle with the men; and those who prefer to give the men their space so that they can have theirs.
“You are seen. You are heard. You are understood. We know you, we were you, we are you.”
Feminism is a process. It’s the gradual unlearning of harmful ideologies, the realisation that things do not have to happen in ways that make you suffer. The knowledge that you are strong, that you can take up space, that you are enough.
So don’t beat yourself up when you don’t understand certain terms, or when you haven’t fully unlearned your previous conditioning. Don’t beat yourself up when you’re questioning ideas. The world does enough of that already.
Just remember, that through all the hate, grime, crime and struggle, there’s love. There’s love for oneself and love for all women. There’s love for all the unborn girls for whom you are creating a better world. There’s love for your mother who you watched fight to shine under the oppression of the society they were born in. There’s love for you. Just keep trying your best, to educate yourself and the ones around you. One day, we will overcome. We shall overcome!!!
Photocred: The Guardian
