Our ‘Why’

Despite the weight of our experiences, or depth of our argument, any time we speak up or confront our peers, friends, community or the world – no matter who is saying they’re listening — our voices are endangered to falling on deaf ears.

At times it feels like we are shouting, yelling “FIRE! FIRE!,” but everyone looks around, sees no fire in a room full of flames, and continues on. 

It’s exhausting. I don’t want to waste my breath, voice, writing, or time trying to convey to you that these things are real or that they hurt me.

Yet here we are. At the end of our petition on injustice — hours and hours spent thinking and rethinking about the ways in which we can convey our rage in a way digestible for the people that help perpetuate it.

In our confrontation of the sexist systems and culture that run our lives, we still are vulnerable to being written off — we are stepping out of the “Cool Girl” demeanor, risking the perception of our existence as being rigid, sensitive women who can’t take jokes.

We feel as though we are at our wit’s end. 

But, we still care. We care about our own wellbeing, men’s wellbeing, and the coexistence of the two. 

It is ingrained within us.

But it is so deeply unfulfilling to put so much energy into a one-sided relationship.

To those who have made it this far into our manifesto, our articulation of our frustration, we beg you to not only listen but hear us.