Today is both a bleak, yet amazing day. Donald Trump is officially president of the United States of America with Mike Pence at his side (you can see why I hope they will be impeached here ). This hatred has been met with the amazing Women's March. Today, I am so proud to be a woman. I am so proud to be a feminist. I am so proud of all the women, all the men, all the humans, no matter what they identify as, standing up for human rights.
Today, I am also frustrated. I cannot be in Dublin, standing side by side with people, standing up for what I believe in, for I am terrified of crowds. I am terrified to be in a large and loud crowd, so much so, I had a panic attack the last time I was in a similar situation. GAD and panic disorder have often kept me away from cool shit, but this is the thing that upsets me the most. I vowed not to be afraid to proudly use my voice for feminist issues recently, and not being at a march today feels like I'm cheating on everyone.
But I'm not. I know there are many people today who wish desperately to be at a march, but can't due to reasons similar to mine. Which is why I have decided to put my voice to good use.
As I am a white woman, I recognise that I have privileges that not all women have. I have only had the internet available to me in recent years, but in this time I have learned a lot about feminism, and that the people in the movement have different struggles and are diverse. I read a book recently (an amazing book, a must-read, please get it here and read it) called "I Call Myself A Feminist", and it has really educated me on the diversity of feminists and the wide range of feminist issues. After reading that book, I am more determined to fight for human rights, for feminism. I am a feminist because no-one should be judged on the colour of their skin. It is unacceptable that people are afraid to be anything but white in this world. I am a feminist because it is an outrage that Muslim women are so afraid, that the choice to wear a hijab feels like life or death. It is disgusting that Trump has suggested banning Muslims from the USA, or having them identified as Muslims in a government system, much like Hitler did with Jewish people. I am a feminist because the wage gap is a real phenomenon that is too often brushed off as people complaining (see the EU statistics here ). I am a feminist because the most powerful man in the world is a misogynist (explained in the first link). We live in a world where women are often disregarded and not respected and valued as people. Women are raped, murdered, attacked and abused, with little punishment to the perpetrator (Brock Turner), and we will no longer stand for it. I am a feminist because men are faced with so much toxic masculinity that they feel it is not manly to express any emotion but anger. They have a huge suicide rate due to social pressures which is unacceptable. I am a feminist because parents do not have adequate time off to spend with their new-born children. I am a feminist because gender roles are damaging and socialising children even before they're born. I am a feminist because in many parts of the world, women do not have full rights to their bodies, and abortion is illegal. Trump and Pence are now trying to take this right away. I am a feminist because women's bodies are used as advertisement. Women are judged purely on their looks, such as needing to wear makeup to a job, whilst men do not. I am a feminist because women are hyper-sexualised, to the point that nipples, their function to feed babies, are used as clickbait and seen as sexual objects. I am a feminist as LGBTQplus people watch in fear as Trump and Pence take power, and dance with them to show that all they want is to freely love, and to be freely themselves.
I am a feminist for numerous reasons. I will fight as long as there is injustice in this world. Maybe you think less of me, because I did not go to the march. I wish I could. But I am still a feminist. I will still use my voice, and today, this is how I choose to do so. So march, write, talk, scream from the top of your lungs. Teach. Inspire. Because love will trump hate, and we will make history.
(Find these photos here)
As always, feel free to share experiences, and please be respectful. I post every week or so, so check back for more content!
I post a new blog every week, so check back for more
Come say hi!
Twitter; @justaoifethings
Facebook: Justaoifethings
Instagram: Justaoifethings
Today, I am also frustrated. I cannot be in Dublin, standing side by side with people, standing up for what I believe in, for I am terrified of crowds. I am terrified to be in a large and loud crowd, so much so, I had a panic attack the last time I was in a similar situation. GAD and panic disorder have often kept me away from cool shit, but this is the thing that upsets me the most. I vowed not to be afraid to proudly use my voice for feminist issues recently, and not being at a march today feels like I'm cheating on everyone.
But I'm not. I know there are many people today who wish desperately to be at a march, but can't due to reasons similar to mine. Which is why I have decided to put my voice to good use.
As I am a white woman, I recognise that I have privileges that not all women have. I have only had the internet available to me in recent years, but in this time I have learned a lot about feminism, and that the people in the movement have different struggles and are diverse. I read a book recently (an amazing book, a must-read, please get it here and read it) called "I Call Myself A Feminist", and it has really educated me on the diversity of feminists and the wide range of feminist issues. After reading that book, I am more determined to fight for human rights, for feminism. I am a feminist because no-one should be judged on the colour of their skin. It is unacceptable that people are afraid to be anything but white in this world. I am a feminist because it is an outrage that Muslim women are so afraid, that the choice to wear a hijab feels like life or death. It is disgusting that Trump has suggested banning Muslims from the USA, or having them identified as Muslims in a government system, much like Hitler did with Jewish people. I am a feminist because the wage gap is a real phenomenon that is too often brushed off as people complaining (see the EU statistics here ). I am a feminist because the most powerful man in the world is a misogynist (explained in the first link). We live in a world where women are often disregarded and not respected and valued as people. Women are raped, murdered, attacked and abused, with little punishment to the perpetrator (Brock Turner), and we will no longer stand for it. I am a feminist because men are faced with so much toxic masculinity that they feel it is not manly to express any emotion but anger. They have a huge suicide rate due to social pressures which is unacceptable. I am a feminist because parents do not have adequate time off to spend with their new-born children. I am a feminist because gender roles are damaging and socialising children even before they're born. I am a feminist because in many parts of the world, women do not have full rights to their bodies, and abortion is illegal. Trump and Pence are now trying to take this right away. I am a feminist because women's bodies are used as advertisement. Women are judged purely on their looks, such as needing to wear makeup to a job, whilst men do not. I am a feminist because women are hyper-sexualised, to the point that nipples, their function to feed babies, are used as clickbait and seen as sexual objects. I am a feminist as LGBTQplus people watch in fear as Trump and Pence take power, and dance with them to show that all they want is to freely love, and to be freely themselves.
I am a feminist for numerous reasons. I will fight as long as there is injustice in this world. Maybe you think less of me, because I did not go to the march. I wish I could. But I am still a feminist. I will still use my voice, and today, this is how I choose to do so. So march, write, talk, scream from the top of your lungs. Teach. Inspire. Because love will trump hate, and we will make history.
(Find these photos here)
As always, feel free to share experiences, and please be respectful. I post every week or so, so check back for more content!
I post a new blog every week, so check back for more
Come say hi!
Twitter; @justaoifethings
Facebook: Justaoifethings
Instagram: Justaoifethings
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