IN THE MIDST OF SUCH A TENSE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN BOTH, THE UNITED STATES, BUT ALSO IN MEXICO, WHERE I LIVE, I’M OFTEN REMINDED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE FACE, AND FIGHT FOR, VERY SIMIL AR SOCIAL ISSUES. IT IS CRITICAL FOR US TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, AND MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD, NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A CHANGE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT MAKES IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE ELSE THAT WE WON’T BE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH ANY MORE SOCIAL INJUSTICES, NOT EVER AGAIN. ONE SUCH ISSUE, WHICH I WANTED TO VOICE PUBLICLY, IS WOMEN’S RIGHTS, AND EVERY THING WOMEN HAVE BEEN HAVING TO PUT UP WITH, CERTAINLY BEFORE ME AND MOST OF MY FOLLOWING WAS EVEN BORN. I FIND IT SO HEARTBREAKING TO READ ON THE NEWS,
EVERY
SINGLE
DAY:
HEADLINE
AFTER
HEADLINE
ABOUT
FEMICIDES, RAPE, SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT, AND MANY OTHER
COUNTLESS
DEPRESSINGLY
INSTANCES
RETROGRADE,
OF
AND
OUR
SOCIET Y
HURTFUL
STILL
TOWARDS
BEING
WOMEN.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO KEEP LIVING IN THIS DYSTOPIAN REALIT Y WHERE THIS IS SOMETHING WOMEN HAVE TO EVEN WORRY ABOUT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO SUBJECT THEM TO HAVING TO DEFEND THEIR CASE, BOTH COLLECTIVELY, AND INDIVIDUALLY, AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A JUDGE, OR EVEN THEIR OWN FRIENDS AND FAMILY BELIEVING THEM ON WHAT THEY’VE EXPERIENCED, IN MANY CASES, EVEN HAVING WITNESSES AND EVIDENCE TO BACK THEIR CL AIMS. IT’S SUCH A DEHUMANIZING PROCESS FOR THEM, AND THAT HAS TO CHANGE.
@OFFICIALHOSAY
AS IF ALL OF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH, WOMEN STILL HAVE TO PUT
UP
WITH
BEING
ANTAGONIZED,
AND
BL AMED
FOR
THEIR
EXPERIENCE, FOR VOICING THEIR DISCONTENT; THEY GET TOLD ABOUT HOW IT WAS THEIR FAULT THEY GOT R APED OR OTHERWISE ASSAULTED, BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY WERE WEARING, OR BECAUSE THEY WERE DRINKING, BECAUSE THEY WERE ALONE, OR BECAUSE THEY DECIDED TO GO OUT AT NIGHT. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT LEC TURING WOMEN ABOUT HOW IT’S THEIR FAULT THEY’RE THE VIC TIM OF SO MANY CRIMES INSTEAD OF SHIFTING THE FOCUS AND THE BL AME TOWARDS THE MEN THAT COMMIT THESE CRIMES, AND AC TUALLY HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR AC TIONS. MOST OF SEXUAL MISCONDUC T CASES TO THIS DAY, STILL GO UNPROSECUTED BECAUSE A WOMAN WASN’T BELIEVED, DIDN’T EVEN SAY ANY THING BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULDN’T BE BELIEVED, DIDN’T SAY ANY THING BECAUSE SHE WAS MORE AFRAID OF RETALIATION, OR IF SHE WAS BELIEVED, BECAUSE THE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THESE KINDS OF CRIMES ARE, OFTEN, NOT SEVERE ENOUGH OF A PUNISHMENT FOR SUCH A DISGUSTING AND INHUMAN CRIME. IT’S ALSO A SOCIET Y THAT ANTAGONIZES THE BR AVE WOMEN THAT R AISE THEIR VOICES AGAINST THESE ANCIENT INSTITUTIONS, GOING THE
OUT
AND
GOVERNMENT,
BEING
CRITICIZED
PROTESTING ASKING FOR
FOR
INCITING
ON
THE
CHANGE;
STREETS, FOR
DESTRUC TION
AGAINST
REFORM, AND
AND
CHAOS,
INSTEAD OF HEARING THEIR VOICES AND MAKING A CHANGE.
@OFFICIALHOSAY
A
SOCIET Y
THAT
STILL
WORKS
ON
FUNDAMENTAL,
SYSTEMIC
SEXISM, AND HOLDS WOMEN AGAINST SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT STANDARDS THAN MEN. A SOCIET Y WHERE WOMEN ARE PAID LESS FOR THE SAME JOBS, WHERE WOMEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR EVERY MOVE, BECAUSE THE Y’RE CONSTANTLY UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO CRITICIZE THEM FOR SUCH STUPID RE ASONS. IT JUST ANGERS ME BE YOND RE ASON. IT’S APPALLING. I WANTED TO GET MY TRUE THOUGHTS OFF MY CHEST BECAUSE I RE ALLY
WANT
EVERYONE
RE ADING
THIS,
ESPECIALLY
WOMEN,
THAT I LOVE YOU, AND THAT I’M WILLING TO FIGHT FOR CHANGE, AND THAT I HOPE EVERYONE CAN KEEP SOCIAL ISSUES LIKE THIS ONE ON THEIR HE ADS FOR LONG ENOUGH TO TAKE AC TION, AND
THINK
ABOUT
IT
WHEN
THE Y’RE
VOTING
FOR
A
NEW
PRESIDENT, A SENATOR, OR ANY OTHER PERSON THAT HAS THE POWER TO DECIDE IF THE Y WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE OR NOT. -
@OFFICIALHOSAY
JOSE