~~April 1, 2018~~
EMMA GONZALEZ
I was scrolling through my Facebook feed today and found this.
I’m so happy I did.
I only wish I’d written it.
These perfect words come from a Facebook user from Texas.
All credit goes to her.
HortyRexŠ
THIS GIRL
Sheâs learning what most women already know.
Sheâs learning the tactics some people (men and women) will take in order to rationalize disregarding your message.
Theyâll criticize your hair – because valuable women should have beautiful hair. Theyâll talk about your sexuality – because anytime they donât like your message, your sexuality is fair game. Theyâll talk about your clothes – because valuable women dress a certain way.
And anything bad that happens to women is the result of the clothing they choose. Theyâll criticize you because you donât wear makeup because women, valuable worthy women, wear lipstick.
Theyâll deride your tears – because women are so emotional. Never mind the fact that, had the strongest among them gone through what you have, they would cry too. Theyâll talk about the patch on your jacket – as if itâs relevant – because they canât comprehend that a flag belongs, not to a country, but to the people.
Theyâll talk about how you shouldâve been nicer to the unpopular kid – because, as always, itâs your responsibility to prevent violence against you. Men arenât expected to behave but women are expected to soothe them and not provoke them. You must behave a certain way and, if you donât, you deserve to suffer violence or even death.
When you ask for, demand, safety and protection, theyâll tell you that you donât deserve it.
(Theyâll tell you that the real threat to you is texting and driving and that you should just give up your cell phone. As if you wouldnât gladly give up that and more to change what happened to you and your friends. The real threat is shoot-em-up video games. The real threat is violent movies and television shows like The Walking Dead. Seriously??)
Theyâll criticize you if you show strength and theyâll criticize you if you show weakness. If youâre proud, theyâll say youâre arrogant. If youâre vulnerable, theyâll mock you. Theyâll show contempt for your intelligence, the fact that youâre well spoken. When you stand up and speak as a woman, theyâll call you a child. When you cry, theyâll tell you to grow up.
Nothing you do or say or become will ever be enough for them. But thatâs alright. Keep speaking up and out.
Keep standing true to yourself – wear what you like, love who you love.
Shout, cry, laugh.
Because you, baby girl, are already MORE THAN ENOUGH.
And there are millions of us, who are so proud of you.
Julie McCormick Odneal
Facebook User
#EmmaGonzalez #WouldNever #ParklandFlorida #ParklandShootingSurvivors #ChangeCanHappen #GunControl #MarchForOurLives #NeverAgain #BePositive #BePassionate #BeProudToBeAnEagle #AndTheChildrenShallLead #MarjoryStonemanDouglasHighSchool #MSDStrong #MoreThanEnough #SoProudOfYou
#WeAllAreOne #ItIsWhatItIs #DrRex #HortyRex #hrexach