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Writer's picturesonjaczekalski

#metoo

Through the dozens of letters I have received so far, there is joy, laughter, hostility, strength, tampons, and bras... But within those layers of pride in being a woman there is pain, shame, and a conversation about rape and abuse that is evident in almost every single story. I knew that sexual responsibility, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and good ole fashioned catholic sexual guilt were all going to themes dominating these letters. These themes have dominated my body of work for the past 4 years. So, I am not surprised by this, in fact, I would be surprised if anyone was surprised by this. But, what happened when I read the letter I posted today was that I realized these themes were becoming to reality. These facts and theories are no longer just lines I read in a book, a story I read, a speech on TV, or a clip of "Mrs. America" (GREAT show, please watch.)No fictionalized narrative, but a story from someone I know. A life experience from someone I love...and someone I live next door to is going to write the one next... What carries all of these women I know is this shame, anxiety, and suffering about our bodies because they were assaulted by a man. To be honest I am so sick of reading headlines about equal pay or jokes about ugly feminists... People are being raped. People are being assaulted and abused. Women are still being used for their bodies. Women are still forced into sexual situations. Women are suffering from their mental health because a man still thinks they have some kind of right, privilege, or power over what they can do to a person because their second X chromosome grew their genetalia inside their body with a womb, instead of something hairy and sweaty hanging off of their body. For me, this entry is angry. It is resentful. It hurts to write. I could write another essay based in fact about the importance of the Feminine Mystique and ground myself in the evolutionary, psychological , and physiological studies of gender.... But I'm not. What I am going to say is that almost 30 women have written to me about this project and over 20 of them have been about rape, abuse, and assault. There is a blatant war going on against women and their bodies... Thank you to everyone who has had the courage to share their story. Together you and #metoo will continue to build a community where #whatwomenwear does not hold the imprint of a man "Grabbing (us) by the pussy" but a sisterhood of empowered people defined by our own choices, voices, and power.













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