Olivia Gatwood. Poet. Feminist. Educator. Activist.
Most remember Gatwood in association with her partner in crime, Megan Falley also known as the dynamic duo, “Speak Like A Girl.” However, Gatwood recently decided to pursue her career and activism in a single act performance, and Xavier could not be more thrilled to have her back on campus.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Gatwood, she is a vocal, passionate, and fiery advocate for a wide range of issues that affect women, such as education regarding sexual assault and Title IX on college campuses. She aims to empower women and share her voice through poetry explaining the myths, injustices, and mental health effects of sexual assault in our world today.
Gatwood’s performance is uplifting, triggering, and inspiring for anyone in the audience and for me personally, it was the igniting spark in shaping who I have become and inspired me to be who I am today. Two years ago, on February 29th 2016 after her first performance on Xavier’s campus, I wrote to Gatwood and her colleague. As the duo recited their poems radiating with confidence and power, I watched wondering where they developed such strength in their tone, posture, and body language. As they started describing the sickening feeling of the character in their poem being stigmatized by her assault, and the shaking feeling she had wanting to re-enter society, I felt drawn in and related with its story. I trembled as I was slowly awakened to the realization that I was not the only one, I wasn’t the only one that felt this weak, powerless, and hopeless feeling. When Gatwood, stomped her foot, and screamed “Human Decency Is Not Foreplay,” I wanted to stand up and cheer, but instead I could not help the flooding tears and heavy feeling in my chest that nothing that happened to me was my fault, and the guilt that had been hitting me like waves during a beach storm was a false feeling, pushing me to wake up and share my voice just like they were doing on stage.
I nervously drafted and sent an email to Gatwood thanking her for attending our campus and how pivotal her poems were for me. I was ecstatic a few weeks later to receive a heartfelt message back. For me, at this time in my life, her words meant everything. She shared her personal stories, insight about topics of her career, and other experiences regarding her audience on tour. The closing of her email still holds with me today, “We hope you find healing. We hope you find community. We hope you find a healthy outlet to process all of this. You are so strong.” With these words, I took Gatwood’s empowerment and have ever since actively tried to find healing, community, and the strength to help others the way she helped me.
I thank Gatwood for seeing my strength when I could not see it myself, and I thank her for coming back to share her voice at Xavier today on Tuesday, September 12th. Gatwood will first host a Title IX Compliance Workshop addressing “Mythbusters: A workshop on consent and sexual assault, breaking down what we learn and what we don’t” from 3-4:30 pm in The Gallagher Student Center Theater. Gatwood’s fabulous spoken word performance will then follow at 7pm located at The Gallagher Student Center Theater. Visit www.oliviagatwood.com for more information on Olivia Gatwood’s powerful work.