sarafeminist

I'm an abortion counselor, a substitute teacher, a grad student (but not a good one), an atheist, and a loud-mouth. I'm 29. I'm engaged, I have a nearly-step-son who is 5. I love art in most forms. Please feel free to ask me anything, especially about birth control, sex education, and abortion. Lake Michigan is my home.

[sarafeminist]

It's so completely awful that we've lost this great, talented man.

[sarafeminist]

A happy counter-protest with my niece and nephew. 💙❄️ (at 79th District Courthouse)

[sarafeminist]

Aaaaaahmazing holiday card from a fellow non-believer. ❤️❄️🎄

[sarafeminist]

He'll be waiting for you while you sleep. ❄️⛄️🌔👣👹

[sarafeminist]

The last of my wedding flowers that I grew. I love you, cosmos.

[sarafeminist]

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.

[sarafeminist]

Have been awake since 4:30 or slightly earlier. I guess I'm going to clean the bathroom.

[sarafeminist]

There's another cookie underneath. #myboyfriendismagic #allhisdesign

[sarafeminist]

at Stearns Park Beach

[sarafeminist]

good morning

[sarafeminist]

Another year goes by and I'm still not crowned Mason County's Homemaker of the year. #WTF #TOTALLYACANDIDATE (at Ludington, MI)

[headlikeanorange]

[turquoisehexagonsuns-deactivate]

As the Texas Senate passed HB 2, after almost a month of protests, filibustering, and activism that brought together thousands around our state, there were a series nonviolent actions taken to show conservative legislators who have no regard for women that we will not be silenced.

The pictures above show a group of women who performed a beautiful action in protest to the most offensive and detrimental piece of legislation to affect women in Texas history.

They wore white dresses stained red to represent the women who have and will continue to hurt themselves due to the lack of access to safe, legal abortion care. One of the women successfully chained herself to the brass railing, while others were carried out singing “All we are saying is give us a choice." The Senate stood at ease for several minutes while DPS officers had to cut the chains off.

These women remained in jail for over 24 hours, and were finally released last night. In the last picture, they’re shown with several others who had been arrested due to actions on Friday and days prior— showing Rick Perry and David Dewhurst what they think of these laws. One of these was a woman stood during the House passing of the bill who announced to legislators, "As a queer woman of color, I object to these proceedings."

I’m proud to say that I know many of these people, because this is the kind of fearlessness that should be celebrated and recognized. These are the voices that need to be heard. Many are associated with Rise Up Texas, a coalition that started in response to the complete and immense disrespect for justice that has escalated within the past month here at the Texas Capitol.

The past few days have been very difficult. But it’s the strength of people, like those who put their bodies on the line Friday night, who make me want to keep fighting.

[ay-taytherich]

Amazing.

[wearenottrayvonmartin]

I am not Trayvon Martin.  I am a 30-something white woman born & raised in the Midwest.  I am aware of my white privilege, but easily let it slip my mind.  I don’t have to be aware of my race; I am not the “other"; instead I align with the dominant race & culture of my city.  I am anonymous in my light blue car & olive green house.

Years ago I was in love with a man from Nepal.  We dated for several years, & for the first time I knew what white privilege was outside of a textbook.  People looked at us differently than they look at me & my white husband now.  If he drove, cars didn’t let us in their lanes.  If I drive by myself drivers make room.  Seriously.  People treat you differently based on race.  I do this too; I have stereotypes embedded deep inside of me & I actively try to rid myself of them. If we could only purge this fear & hate that has permeated our society.  To see each other as fellow humans.  

I have a young son.  He will not be Trayvon Martin because he is very blonde & fair, but because I have a son I ache for Trayvon’s mother.  I cry for her & I grieve for her.  

[thenewwomensmovement]

Myself and my friends/colleagues, including Muchacha Fanzine, protesting at the National Day of Action for Abortion Rights rally in Denton, Texas. 

Rain or shine, we will gather to express our outrage against the sexist, religious attacks on our civil rights.

[wearenottrayvonmartin]

I am not Trayvon Martin. I am a white, 30-year-old woman living with my husband and young son in the Midwest. We live two doors down from a black family that includes teenage sons. I have never met them, never introduced myself, never made an effort to show that I am happy we are neighbors, that they are safe in their neighborhood and respected by their neighbors. I do not fear them as black men; it’s more that I’m a shy person, afraid of the awkwardness of reaching out to anyone. But fear of any kind prevents community, breeds suspicion, and can lead to isolation and violence.

Will my white son wonder, one day, why we don’t know these neighbors? I repent of my fear; I promise to start being a true neighbor.

[wearenottrayvonmartin]

I am not Trayvon Martin.

I am an 18-year-old Indian girl. I wear hoodies and eat Skittles and drink iced tea. I grew up in a white, middle-class neighborhood in an overwhelmingly white, middle-class town. I’m sure I’ve been judged by my skin tone before, but thankfully I’ve never been hurt my those judgments.

However, I can empathize with Trayvon in a different way: I am a woman. I don’t feel safe while walking down the street, either. I often carry pepper spray while walking home, tightly clutched in my frightened fist. I’m almost always uncomfortable while walking home at night. If a man were to start following me at night, I would probably be too terrified to think straight. Like Trayvon, I would have run. 

I would like to think the attacker would be less likely to hurt me than he would Trayvon. Maybe it would be because girls are perceived as weak, or defenseless. Maybe because there are societal taboos against violence towards women. Or maybe it would be because the color of my skin errs, heartbreakingly, on the safer side of brown.