You Are Not Alone
How often have you…
Crossed the street … because a couple of guys are walking toward you, laughing a little too loud?
Stuck your keys … between your fingers while walking at night so you can gouge out an attacker’s eyes if necessary?
Been nervous … at turning down a man’s advances, lest he get upset and turn aggressive?
Asked a man … to go car shopping with you so you wouldn’t be taken advantage of
Pretended to not know an answer … so someone else wouldn’t find you threatening?
All women have these stories…
They are the story of being a woman in today’s society. And while each one of us lives them in our own way each day, we rarely talk about it. It’s just normal life, so what is there to talk about?
But in May 2014 a mass shooting in Isla Vista, California, caused the internet to explode with the #YesAllWomen stories.
A revolution has started.
It is time…
We’re not saving the world FROM men. We’re not saving the world FOR women.
We’re saving the world from our fear.
We’re saving the world from our shame.
We’re saving the world from all those times that we didn’t speak our truth, and turned our anger onto ourselves.
We’re saving the world from all those times that we didn’t speak our truth and exploded at innocent bystanders…many of whom happen to be the men who want to love us.
We’re saving the world by finding peace and respect within ourselves, because it will save the world for the next generation. A girl child who sees her mother treat herself with respect will accept nothing less from a boy and from the world. A boy child who sees his mother treat herself with respect will learn that is how women should be treated, and he won’t dream of treating a girl any other way.
It only takes one generation – one woman – to make a profound change. And the change starts within.
We are that generation.
We are that woman.
And this…
is what happens when a group of women from around the world come together to share their stories about being women in today’s culture.
