There is truly nothing I love more than being told that my "voice will go unheard" or that I am "too young to have a political view". The people who tell me that my time will come for politics to play a larger role in my life do not understand that my generation is the last group of people who have the chance to stand up for what we believe in before we are simply... screwed.
The most recent case as you all know is the Kavanaugh trial. I simply feel no need to go into the very well-known details of the trial,but I do feel the need to express my feelings towards simple topics. A common response to the trial was the statement against Dr. Ford, "Why did she wait so long to speak up?" After the #metoo movement began, along with numerous victims speaking out against their assaulters, people still do not understand that coming out with your truth is not easy, and can even be traumatizing. The bravery that comes with standing up for yourself and your story also comes with consequences that no one would ever choose to put themselves through. You must imagine all that came with Dr. Ford's testimony. I'm willing to bet that she has received numerous threats, messages of pure hate, and most importantly a life time of burden. Not only has she had to carry this with her until now, but for the rest of her life hateful people will no longer see her for the intelligent, courageous woman she is, but instead as a person who tried to "ruin a man's life" - yet no one takes into consideration that he ruined hers before it really even began. We are also now seeing posts from men saying "I'm going to have to think 10 times before even touching a woman or else I may end up with allegations against me." UM YEAH THAT'S THE POINT. It's unreal to me seeing that it took this many women to show what it actually means to have consent. Women are afraid to come out against their assaulters because if they come out about something that happened in the past, they are told "well, that was a long time ago" and if they come out the moment something happens, they are told "you cannot wreck his future". Between these two answers, women are continuously ending up with no value of their own; no sense of possession of their own body.
From one of my favorite poetry books, "Milk and Honey" by: Rupi Kaur
"You were so afraid
of my voice
I decided to be
afraid of it too"
Believing survivors in the nation in which we live is not made any easier when we have a man of authority, such as our president, who believes it is okay to make statements such as "grab her by the p***y". But you better believe...we're grabbing back. The time for watching all of this happen, keeping your voice low, and accepting everything that happens is over. An enormous privilege of living in this country is having the opportunity to speak up for what you believe in and to vote for what you think is right. I may not be old enough to vote yet, so this is me, Sophia, standing up for what I believe is right. If you are old enough to vote. DO IT. Do not feel like your vote will not matter because it does. Also know who you are voting for. Do not simply vote for someone because she is a female *glances at a certain senator* and you automatically believe that she is a feminist who is open minded and will help to bring justice for all. Vote for someone who you know stands for what is right.
I refuse to allow other generations to view mine as one that only "whines" instead of takes action. We are a generation of doers. We are a generation of people unafraid to stand up for what is right. I am no longer someone who listens to those who tell me there is an age limit for being heard. I am someone who believes survivors and I am someone who will let you know that your voice is heard. I am someone who will vote when I am able to. I am someone who refuses to live in a world where every right is taken away from me. I am not afraid to speak up for what I believe in, but I am afraid that one day it is going to be too late.This must end now.
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