Revolution starts at home. Yet, how can one change the mind of millions of women world wide, to make them understand the values of being one solid entity? I don’t judge people on their clothes, race, religion or sexual orientation and I wish most people were that way. But that is wishful thinking… right? However, there is a difference between “cultural practices”, “what my privileged up-bringing taught me to think is right” and “human rights violations”. Most people living in the third world are unaware of human rights. Most people from my country of origin would go – “Hey, that racism and sexism stand? It is so totally pre-1950s and only happened in the west. Let me not condemn it or try to raise awareness of the horrible things that happened in the past… cause we are in the 21st Century… And I hear stuff doesn’t happen like that anymore… and even if it does, as if it doesn’t happen in the Americas…” There – right there is a constant denial, a refusal to see the truth.
My privileged friends often ask me, “Why do you bother? I’ve learnt to ignore”. My answer is, “I bother cause I don’t want sexism, racism, homophobia, misogyny to be a constant battle for my children, and their children. I cannot ignore, cause by ignoring I am letting those discriminatory practices spread like bush fire. So I take time to explain. To educate those who confront me with their preconceptions and hear-say-facts. This requires patience.”
My revolution is opening dialogue with everyone, patience, control of emotions when I need to explain my stand, listening their point-of-view, and helping them see better. And that, starts in my own backyard.
