描述
As a woman of color, I have always felt like I have had to defend my body. It began with the stares, then the whistles, then the gropes. Then the demands for the attention to be reciprocated, followed by the anger when it was not delivered.
But then I became tired. I became tired of men assuming that my body was theirs to touch, to grab, to call. I was tired of men claiming me with their eyes, using their gaze to take what was not given to them. These are subtle acts of control and power that are so deeply entrenched in patriarchal systems and equally in our social fabric. And I became tired of fighting them, so tired that there were times that I gave in. In those moments, I knew that I was being pulled away from the woman that I wanted to be.
For years, society told me that my black body was meant to be fetishized and exoticized. That I was only suited to be token, object and other. And although I knew that they were wrong, what do you do when the world around you makes you think that they are right?
However, with the global reckoning for racial justice and equality that we have seen over the years, I soon learnt that I was not alone - that I was actually one of many. Because, like me, women all over the world were tired - and have been for a long time.
Equipped with my own artillery and backed by an army of badass women, I am able to reclaim the power that was taken from me. I have learnt how to create my own representations, own my differences, and stand up for what is mine while also paying homage to the women who dared to stand before me so that I can now stand beside them.
I have learnt how to celebrate my body, my sexuality, my soul, my essence. My body is mine to carry, to love, to decorate, to celebrate.
Everyday I walk into my power and manifest the strong, vibrant and resilient woman that I am. The woman that I always wanted to be.
Alter ego: Maya