never have i ever ...

• Gone on a run without pepper spray

• Gotten in my car without checking the backseat

• Walked alone at night without calling someone

• Parked my car in a dark area

• Gotten into an Uber without checking the license plate

• Walked anywhere without elaborately thinking about the safest route

These are just a few of the precautions that most women take and men never think about. The differences in the female and male experience surrounding safety ultimately impacts the way each gender lives their lives. This is something I have thought about quite a bit in the past month, especially after attending two of the 2020 Women’s Marches.

These marches included a variety of speakers, activists, and people who shared their own personal stories. Stories that surrounded topics of reproductive health, climate change, health care, sexual harassment and gun control. The first one I attended was in D.C. and the second was in Charlotte.

I went to the D.C. march with four other college aged women and, as shocking as this may be, our weekend was not spent gossiping about boy drama or gawking over clothes. It was filled with conversation surrounding education, climate change, and personal safety.

Don’t get me wrong, we had an amazing time and laughed our way through the weekend. But, it doesn’t change the fact that a lot of our conversations were spent sharing experiences and exchanging different tricks and skills to be proactive in the face of potential danger.

Sharing experiences and hearing different views and opinions are what all of these marches are about. Women and men from different walks of life join together during these marches to voice their disappointments with the current state of our country.

Inequality and discrimination have evolved into internal, systemic issues that are easy to glaze over and ignore. Which is why marches and rallies are so important.

I can not emphasize enough how necessary it is to continue to keep inequality in the conversation. Change will not happen unless we continue this conversation.

In order to make a difference we must come together to appreciate and try to understand the different obstacles that all types of women experience and turn that knowledge into ammunition.

This is an observation from my white, straight, cis, female perspective. I can not imagine how experience changes for those who identify in different ways than I do. So take this also as a reminder to check your privilege.

Stay educated, stay informed, spread love and make sure to vote.

xoxo,

lexy