We read about these stories in history books and see them as small news clips from time to time but there really is nothing quite like hearing it from an actual warrior woman. And that's what these young girls who marched in 1960 were. Warriors.
It's about time that their voices were heard, that their stories are shared. So often in history, women have been the silent arbiters of change; working fiercely, but unseen, in the background. The only problem with that is it can create a social/gender misconception that females have little power or impact, which in turn can shape the self-identities of young women.
The most important catalyst for change is believing that we can make some kind of difference. Even if only a small one. Even if only in our beliefs about our selves and our place in the world. From that ripples out the life altering changes.
It takes a lot of bravery to stand in defiance knowing it might very well end up with you getting cracked over the head and jackbooted after you're down.
ReplyDeleteG
it does. someone put their cigarette out on her arm while she was marching, and because the kids were trained to not react violently she had to just endure it. she couldn't bitchslap the mofo with her sign. :(
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