bobseye:

I’m mad that we live in a world in which my nine-year-old sister doesn’t want to eat jolly ranchers because she is afraid of getting fat.

I’m mad that we live in a world in which my nine-year-old sister believes that playing two sports isn’t enough to keep her thin.

I’m mad that we live in a world in which my sister is being taught that being anything other than beautiful and thin is unacceptable.

I’m mad that my sister is afraid to eat junk food.

I’m mad that my sister is afraid to tell my parents when she drinks anything other than water.

I’m mad at my parents.

I’m mad at my parents for contributing to the way I think about my body.

I’m mad that I only started to gain confidence when I went away to college.

I’m mad that my parents believe I am somehow lesser than a skinny girl.

I’m mad at our culture for perpetuating these beliefs.

I’m mad at our culture’s need to tear, judge, and deconstruct women’s bodies.

I’m mad at our culture’s need to tear, judge, and deconstruct men’s bodies.

I’m mad that we are first judged by our bodies, then our minds. (If that)

I’m mad that my sister had to ask me if she should lie to our mother about my buying her an iced tea.

I’m mad that we live in a world in which young girls have to start questing their bodies before they can even grasp the notion of that question, before they can even comprehend how that uncertainty will be prevalent for many years.

I’m mad that our society teaches us to wait for a man’s reassurance.

I’m mad that I was taught to question my body.

I’m mad that women and girls all over the world are being taught to question their bodies.

I’m mad that we live in a culture that accepts eating disorders as customary.

I’m mad that we live in a culture that blames the victim and not the rapist.

I’m mad that others who are mad aren’t expressing their disgust.

I’m mad at myself for not speaking out sooner.

I’m mad because I know for any real change to happen, real work has to be done.

I’m mad because I recognize the struggle I am about to face.

I’m mad because I know I will be questioned, made vulnerable and torn apart a number of times.

I’m mad because I am conscious of the sexism that I will face.

 

I am not mad however, because I know I am among many who feel this way.

I am not mad because I know that we, as women, and intellectual humans, will NOT tolerate our culture’s tendencies towards sexism anymore.

I am not mad because I believe a real change has begun.

I am not mad because I believe that I am part of the change.

I am not mad because it will not stay this way forever.

OK. the new flickr is fucking terrible