Recently, there was an unfortunate event that took place involving an 11 year-old school girl almost getting harassed by a man on her way to school. The video showed the distraught girl crying as a woman saved her before anything got out of hand. This video quickly spread and made a lot of people upset, angry and shocked but for some women, this was upsetting but not shocking.
From the early days on earth, women have always been seen as lesser, housewives or simply just objects. A lot of the time we were just living creatures who belong on men’s arms so we made them look good. This amazingly took a great turn as the suffragette movement started from the late 1800. Suffragettes are women (and some men) who fought for women's right to vote. Women's involvement in the first world war impacted this greatly and won women's right to vote. Later on, feminism also became a very popular movement for social, political and economic equality for the sexes. So, after all this fighting for equal rights, why is it that today women still go through so much?
You would think that living in this new day and age, there would be total change right? Wrong. women still get payed less than men for working the same jobs, men are still more likely to get a promotion even if they aren’t putting as much effort in their jobs as a woman is, women are still being labelled as ‘sluts’ or ‘whores’ or ‘tramps’ for doing the EXACT same thing a man does, the percentage of women getting sexually harassed still really high and so much more. 2020 has been the biggest mess for everyone, including the months June and July where numerous girls came out with their stories of when they were sexually harassed.
The saddest part about being a girl, especially a black girl, is knowing that women out there are scared to tell their story because they’ve seen the outcome of another woman being brave enough to tell hers. Usually the response is “where’s the evidence?” “she’s lying, she just wants the clout” “she’s probably asked for it.” It disgusts me to know that we live in a society where coming out about something so personal means that they’re lying or searching for a way to become popular when it is not the case at all.
Women have a right to do and say what they like. We own our body, we own our freedom, we own our life and we shouldn’t forget our value just because society told us too. We are beautiful, strong, amazing, independent and powerful. And to that 11 year old girl, I’m so sorry you went through that at such a small age, I hope you come back stronger and keep your head up high. You are beautiful and brave and brilliant.
I actually wrote a poem regarding this topic, enjoy:
Ocean
Why must I share my temple
With fools who don’t appreciate it?
Who see me as nothing but a toy
Who sees me as less and simple?
Who told you I asked for it
Or dressed the way I did for you?
I didn’t want to be touched there
I didn’t want to be groped
I’m losing focus, my mind, my love, my hope
And don’t catcall me like I’m some southern belle
Ready to fall into your arms
Gracefully, gently, genuinely
Harshly ruining me
Aggressively strangling me
I CANNOT BREATHE.
I cannot see the light
Why did you take my light?
Why did you blind my happiness from me?
Blue and purple stains on my skin,
My beautiful skin
Temporary pain with permanent memories
I cannot win
Because to you I am an accessory
And when you’re done with me, I’m history
My energy melted away from me
a women is not an object
And it’s my body my damn choice
We are not sex subjects
We are not a use and neglect
We are your grandma, your sister, your aunty and birth giver
Your power source and provider
We are NOT your next victims
Or something to get out of your systems
We are what you men need.
We are an ocean
United as one
Calm like the mother waves
With rage like the sun
We will not be broken down
We will love our goddess features
And when we are ready
We will fight back
Expect us,
I hope you’re ready for some damn feedback.
