Dear Woman,
First and foremost, happy International Women’s Day! This is a holiday for women, regardless of biological sex, socioeconomic class, race, or political affiliation. International Women’s Day aims to support, encourage, motivate, and appreciate all women. Give yourself a pat on the back! You carry half the sky, girl!
How are you celebrating this holiday? Are you reading Audre Lorde or Rupi Kaur? Are you twerking to Bey? Are you binge watching Broad City? Are you making sure to tell your mother, grandmother, aunts, sisters, friends, teachers, coworkers, strangers that they are invaluable? Are you telling yourself that, too? Do you believe it?
Personally, I’m celebrating by doing all of the above, as well as calling my state reps, supporting female-run businesses, advocating on social media, and wearing as much red as possible. I’m rocking red lipstick as eyeliner and I feel badass as f*ck. If you’re unable to strike, that’s okay. Being able to is a privilege. If you have that privilege, exercise it. If you don’t, find other ways to stand in solidarity. (I’m not striking because I’m unemployed, so I’m essentially always on strike! Ha! Take that, patriarchy!)
Alright girl, now time for the hard stuff. Things have been rough lately, haven’t they? Our president disrespects and disdains us. Our government is attempting to strip us of our human rights and keep us poor, sick, and silent. A vast portion of the population supports this. Bottom line: even if things seem good, they’re not. In fact…
On International Women’s Day, every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.
On International Women’s Day, white women make 79-77 cents for every dollar men earn. Black women make 60 cents and Hispanic women make 55 cents.
On International Women’s Day, a girl before the age of 18 will be married every 2 seconds.
On International Women’s Day, both men and women will not identify as feminists, even though it literally just means equality.
On International Women’s Day, I’d like to remind everyone that the majority of white women voted for Donald Trump.
On International Women’s Day, 1/6 women are victims of rape or attempted rape.
On International Women’s Day, Casey Affleck, Chris Brown, and Jameis Winston are admiring their awards that have been given to them by a society that places a man’s talent over a woman’s safety.
On International Women’s Day, women in some countries are still unable to receive an education, drive, participate in sports, or vote.
On International Women’s Day, female genital mutilation is still in existence.
On International Women’s Day, female infanticide (the deliberate killing of baby girls) is still in existence. 2,000 per day in India, to be exact.
On International Women’s Day, coat hanger abortions are still in existence.
On International Women’s Day, 1/3 women will be victims of domestic violence in her lifetime. 4,000 women die per year at the hands of their husbands, boyfriends, or past partners.
On International Women’s Day, all around the world girls and women are battered, killed, dehumanized, silenced, raped, humiliated, sodomized, sexualized, and stripped of their rights, resources, support, and safety.
Some bullshit holiday designed to keep women feeling appreciated and empowered does not justify the global injustices we are subjected to every single day. So come on, girl! This is your call to action! What else can I possibly say? Fight for your sisters and cis-ters. Fight for the little girls without a voice and without hope. Fight for every woman you’ve met and every woman you’ve never met. Fight for the past, the present, and the future. Fight with ferocity, compassion, and peace. Fight for yourself. Fight for love. Fight for humanity.
With solidarity,
Woman
Food, Fashion, Feminism 