To the Women

[Content Note: Misogyny; sexual violence.]

Hello, Shaker women.

We are in the middle of a vicious misogynist backlash right now. And, on top of that, a tidal wave of news about sexual assault which brings with it a second tidal wave of rape apologia. And, on top of that, there are the fissures emerging between those of us with a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment and abuse and people we thought were our allies but who are actually fine with some number of women being abused as the cost of enacting (other parts of) a progressive agenda.

And our sitting president is a confessed serial sex abuser.

And the Republican Party is working at every level — local, state, federal — to enact profoundly misogynist policy that denies the bodily autonomy of women et. al. and turns our bodies into government property.

And women are still obliged to encounter misogynist microaggressions every the fuck where we go. And street harassment. And being hit on when we're just trying to live our lives.

And women and girls (not exclusively) are still being sexually harassed and assaulted, even in this moment of awareness-raising.

And also there are still just a million shitty sexist jokes about women in virtually every bit of entertainment you might try to enjoy to take your mind off of all of the above.

It's a lot.

And it's enough to make many of us feel pretty worthless. Especially if we have survived trauma that left us struggling to feel that we have value.

If you are struggling to feel like you have worth as a woman in this world, that is okay.

If you are struggling to feel like you have worth as a woman in this world, you are not alone.

If you are struggling to feel like you have worth as a woman in this world, please know that you have value to me.

I see you. I see you.