Re-post of Joss Whedon’s post “Let’s Watch A Girl get Beaten to Death.”

I came across Whedon’s post a few days ago, and I remember reading it when it was first posted four years ago.

The story of Du’a Khalil is tragic and horrific in every way possible. It angers and terrifies me to this day, and despite being surrounded by amazing women on a daily basis I still feel like as if the attitudes against women haven’t really changed. My bleak outlook on the world is, yes, very bleak, and at times my pessimism can be grating (as you all should know by now). However, I do have some hope for the world and I of all people know that hope isn’t hope if you’re not willing to make hope work.

And so, I pledge my natural born life to standing up for the equal treatment of women everywhere. For Mr. Whedon, myself and many others, supporting women’s rights is not just about seeing women be strong—this fact has been proven time and time again because women are strong—but what it comes down to is the treatment of women everywhere as humans; the beautiful, intelligent and fierce humans that they are. 

I am proud of being a feminist, as much of a feminist as my sex will allow me to be (some say I can, some say I can’t, I say I will). I’ve heard some of my friends say things like “I’m not a feminist, but…”, to which I want to ask them what they mean by that? Does proclaiming a feminist status somehow make you weird? Does it challenge your Sex and the City, cosmopolitan sensibilities? It makes me extremely sad that they have to preface their statements with such an awkward “cautionary” note when discussing gender equality. 

I have a feeling that for some, being a feminist means hairy armpits or being grossly political. I read the denial of feminism as a fear of being visibly strong, because as someone once said: “Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strength.”

***

If you’re too busy/lazy to read through Joss’ post, please, at least read this because I think this is the most important part:

…people who have never stopped asking the question of what is wrong with this world and have set about trying to change the answer. Because it’s no longer enough to be a decent person. It’s no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I’ve always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I’m beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red.

All I ask is this: Do something. Try something. Speaking out, showing up, writing a letter, a check, a strongly worded e-mail. Pick a cause – there are few unworthy ones. And nudge yourself past the brink of tacit support to action. Once a month, once a year, or just once. If you can’t think of what to do, there is this handy link. Even just learning enough about a subject so you can speak against an opponent eloquently makes you an unusual personage. Start with that. Any one of you would have cried out, would have intervened, had you been in that crowd in Bashiqa. Well thanks to digital technology, you’re all in it now.

I have never had any faith in humanity. But I will give us props on this: if we can evolve, invent and theorize our way into the technologically magical, culturally diverse and artistically magnificent race we are and still get people to buy the idiotic idea that half of us are inferior, we’re pretty amazing. Let our next sleight of hand be to make that myth disappear. 

Support the cause. Support your cause. We need to stop being afraid of our own voices and use them for those that can’t be heard. 

I love you all.

Kai