Letters From The Rebel Woman

[asokonegwande]

I know who I am.

“Self proclaimed feminists.” What does that mean? I have experienced this so many times, when someone doesn’t agree with what I say or what I stand for, half the time they try to discredit me and I believe that such passive aggression must be extinguished. We are not going to wait for the system that we are fighting against to tell us who we are and how we should fight the battle that is before us. The system has named us before and we answered to names that were not ours. The system has given us identities that do not belong to us and we have played roles that were not meant for us. The system defined what we could or could not do and took our power. Now that we demand to be called by our rightful names and exerting the power that we know we have, the song is no longer sweet. The song is no longer sweet to the ears of a system that is repressive and violent, hence the plan is to make those women who identify as feminists doubt their power and the cause. We will call ourselves what we want because we know who we are. We will fight the battle in the best way we know because we have felt the pain of the bruises inflicted by the system. We are not going to wait for the system that disabled us in the first instance, to validate us. We know our agenda, the system is unrelenting and we will not stop. If by any chance the system sings us praises we will question the basis of that praise because the system is sly and dangerous in every way possible. So to the system, we know who we are, the battle we are fighting and we are not seeking your validation.

[asokonegwande]

Dear Woman

Dear Woman,

I hear they are celebrating you today

But I really have some stuff to say.

I wish I could do more for you everyday.

In most cases my hands are tied

And I get scared often.

But maybe this will be good for both of us.

I hope you celebrate yourself everyday

Even when it's hard to look in the mirror and affirm your existence.

I hope you realize that you are important.

It's painful that we are dying everyday,

And sometimes I can't pray the pain away.

Dying in work spaces..

Dying in church...

Dying in schools...

Dying even in the hands of those we love...

Woman we are dying everyday and everywhere.

We are bruised...

We are hungry...

We are tired...

We suffer great violence in the shadows and

We are massacred without fear or shame in broad daylight.

We die from different deaths but I pray you have something to hold onto.

I pray another well meaning woman is there for you.

People will wish you well and send you cute messages today,

But most of them persecute you every day.

You will be told you are the carrier and channel from which life is brought into this earth,

But they won't give you the right to choose to bring life into this world or not.

They will say women are bold and strong,

But when you voice your unhappiness & demand your place suddenly you are aggressive.

They will tell you your dreams are beautiful,

But won't give you the opportunities to pursue them.

They will tell you how you are industrious and how you make things happen,

But it's sad how they won't legalize sex work so that you feed yourself and your dependants.

They will name "culture", "religion" & "world standards",

But only when it suits them.

They will name statistics of how things are changing in the workplace and assert their pleasure on your ascension.

But they won't give you equal pay for equal work with your male colleague.

They sexualize you,

But won't allow you to own your sexuality in the best way you know how.

Some will even say they got you,

But they are the best architectures of high walls instead of bridges.

Lovers will tell you how much you mean to them & utter sweet words,

I hope their actions echo their words.

I am sorry I get carried away sometimes,

Today is a beautiful and important day for you.

They are celebrating you!

My prayer is you realize how important and beautiful you are everyday.

I hope you celebrate yourself everyday.

 Woman I hope you are not afraid.

To own your life and your truth.

To rise from the dust...

To morph into what you were meant to be.

To accept yourself and to fight for what you believe in.

We are dying everyday...

I hear there is a theme again this year,

I hope when you lay down at night alone, you form your own themes for your journey and purpose.

I hope when you march in the "sacred spaces" and hold your banner up,

Your hope is restored.

Your soul is set on fire,

To find the light and warmth you deserve in all spaces.

I love you woman.

Yours,

Woman.

[asokonegwande]

My faves ❤❤

[asokonegwande]

The truth looks strange...

Tupac, Ghetto Gospel