#MeToo Movement
Content warning: This post mentions sexual assault.
Free verse: #MeToo
End our fear
I know longer want to look behind me when I walk
End our fear
I know longer want to put my keys between my knuckles to feel safe
End our fear
I know longer want to cover my body because someone is always watching
End our fear
It may not be all men but trust me it is all women
End our fear
All women know women who have been sexually harassed
End our fear
All women know women who fear men
End our fear
All women are vulnerable in some way shape or form
But there is strength in numbers
And we are no longer scared
This poem took a lot for me to write, I was extremely vulnerable with myself and did a lot of grounding work to be emotionally ready to freely express my thoughts around this particularly social justice issue.
The social justice issue presented in the poem is about bringing fourth awareness to sexual assault and harassment against women, the issue is being presented in the form of a free verse poem to allow me to be truthful in my thoughts and honour those who have gone through any form of sexual assault and harassment in their lives. I chose to write this poem as a form of activism, this form of activism to me creates and ignites feeling and is meant to trigger deep thoughts when someone chooses to read it. As a young women of colour I know that I am a target to being sexually assaulted and or harassed because I am a women and because I am coloured, this is my opportunity to use my platform to say that I know that I am not the only one and that there are strength in numbers.
Speaking from experience I am often still scared to walk down the street alone and I am always looking behind my back to check if someone is there, these acts are something that I shouldn’t have to be worried about. I have created this poem to reach out to those whom have gone through the same feelings that I have and remember that there is strength in numbers. I hope this is the message that comes across, that even though there is fear we can stand together in solidarity and power and support each other. I am also hoping that this poem comes as a reminder to be safe and cautious of where you are and your surroundings while also taking into account that not everything is in black and white and sometimes we must dig a little deeper and fight a little harder for the real colours of justice to prevail and show. Thus creating a community that unites women or anyone for that matter that has been effected by sexual assault and harassment, but I would like to recognise that while the movement and social justice issues revolves greatly around women in specific as a student in Gender and Social Justice studies I am taught to look at all intersections that can be effected by this. And for that matter I want to honour those whom don’t identify as women but have dealt with sexual assault and harassment in any form with any identity.
Lastly I will be speaking to the saying “End our fear” I have used this many times in my poem as I want this to be a recognised statement. I want the fear that many women go through to be done, I want women to feel empowered to stand up against what they have gone through without the fear of not being taken seriously, or made to feel like they are crying wolf. I want the statement “End our fear” to be one that creates a ripple effect for all women to feel like they are in charge of how they choose to deal with trauma and prevent sexual assault and harassment from happening. “End our Fear” is a statement of encouragement not one that pleads to make women be seen.
