This is a touchy subject for me. Growing up I was called “stubborn”, “defiant”, “moody”, a “bitch”, “opinionated” – I never seemed to go along or get along in the family as the only girl with two brothers being raised by my father.
For twenty years my father used all his Army Reserve Psychological Ops training to try and break my spirit. When he finally realized I was too strong to be broken, I was no longer welcome in his house or in his family.
In recent years I have been told I am “angry” because I post about politics and give my opinion about things going on in the world. Trust me, I am not angry. I am outraged about the injustices in the world! I am outraged about starving children. I am outraged about the lack of access to health care. I am outraged at the gluttony and waste all around me. Why is that a bad thing?
My brother can post vile hate memes about politicians. My father can write online propaganda for the white nationalist movement. Male radio hosts and new analysts can say the most derogatory things and spew violent anger – and no one bats an eye. But my strongly worded posts about poverty and injustices cause people to be concerned for my health because my anger is going to give me a heart attack. In other words, please shut up.
It’s like all these professional, educated, talented, confident women who are serious and focused on their jobs but get told all the time they need to smile more. Do men have to smile to be successful in their careers? Of course not. These comments are a way to put a woman in her place.
Why is it that when there is a strong woman in the public eye, the trolls always threaten her with rape or bodily injury and mutilation? These threats are all about control and dominance.
Why are strong women always “put in their place” and targeted by others to have their spirits broken? Why can a man post the same thing I post and be considered intelligent and strong – while I am considered angry and crazy?
Fear. For some reason the collective is afraid of strong women. The patriarchy is afraid of losing control to women. They are afraid that women can heal the world and be greater than the system we have now. They are afraid of losing dominance. They are afraid of becoming obsolete and extinct. This is a subconscious level fear. Imagine being afraid that cats are evolving to take over the world – humans would do everything they could to stop that evolution. And so it is with women.
This year was a major wake up call to me that what I experienced in my own family is actually going on with women and girls everywhere.
The good news is that there is a shift in energy growing. There are mass awakenings happening and people choosing spirituality over religion and patriarchy. One day we will be a species of beings who see each other as equal – regardless of skin color, culture, gender, geographic location. We will be ONE.
Strong women, don’t give up and don’t be silenced.
Genie Mathews 