Silent No More

My mind is whirling around today about the latest horrible things that have been revealed to come out of the mouth of Donald Trump. I can’t even believe I have had to think about the possibility of this man being elected to the highest position of the land for the past year – that our country is still considering electing such a person.

I am a mother of 2 beautiful girls….their hearts are beautiful and they are the most precious gifts I have ever been given.  Their beauty is evident – and yet, even at age 13 and age 9 ½ they wonder if they are beautiful.  Why? 

I’m certain I have failed on many levels instilling confidence in them because of my own lack of confidence.  I know that I am partly to blame, and I want to do all I can to remedy that.  But I am also angry at the culture that has seeped its black wiry tentacles into the minds and hearts of women & girls telling us our worth and beauty is determined by what men think of us.  And yet, my confidence is boosted when I may overhear a stranger comment on my own beauty.  How can I have both of these feelings?  I hate it.  I am embarrassed to say that I feel both boosted and horrified at a catcall.  Am I the only one?  Can other women understand?  How do we loosen the wiry strands and break free?

I’m certain there are many ways – but one way is to STAND UP against people of power like Donald Trump who weakly apologize for demeaning women.  It is NOT ok to talk like that.  It is NOT ok to dismiss it as “guy talk.”  No, it should NEVER be guy talk.  To excuse this talk and behavior is unacceptable.

What’s crazy is that I’ve even seen women excusing/dismissing this latest revelation of atrocious behavior….that most guys talk like that sometimes.  (Ummm….No.  None of the men close to me speak that way – and they never would.)  What does it say about the precious hearts of women that they can dismiss the raunchy things that are said about women?  Please, dear sisters, don’t excuse this kind of talk from anyone!  I cannot understand how anyone could dismiss this from any man, let alone a man who is seeking the most powerful position in the world.  How can anyone who has a daughter, sister, or for Pete’s sake a mother, continue to support this man?  I am just completely baffled. 

Electing a man like Donald Trump is sure to perpetuate the culture that I hate.  A culture that thinks it’s just normal for men to speak of women like they are objects.  A culture that continues to make young girls question their beauty.  A culture that demeans and devalues other humans.  I cannot be silent any longer. 

Sisters, let’s build each other up.  Let’s celebrate each other’s beauty without competition.  Let’s stand up for one another – for our daughters, for our nieces, for our aunts, our mothers, our grandmothers.  Let’s not stand by and allow our sisters to be spoken of like objects made only for the pleasure of a man.  No more.