Tomorrow you may wake up and find yourself to be brave, filled with ambition, part of a solidarity, and loved. On the other hand you may find yourself to be fearful, with apathy, feeling antagonized, and alone.
Women for as long as time has gone on, have been put down, negatively scrutinized, and abused by those who think they have the audacity and think they hold power over them. Women as young girls, young adults, and as adults have their innocence taken away. Women are harassed in distasteful demeanor by others for no valid reason. Women are brought up, taught to behave in a ‘proper’ manner. Women are told that they are less, simply due to the fact that they are women.
Though many social issues relating to feminism are flourishing, simultaneously they are being broken down. The Me Too moment is playing its role as women speak out and/or report sexual assault. There is the Women’s March which women of all diversities come together as a community to act on making a social change. This past Golden Globe awards show, celebrities dressed in black to make a statement in support of Time’s Up, which is a partnership of hundreds of women in the entertainment industry to be against sexual harassment and assault.
Women, you do not need permission to lead and change the way females are viewed, view each other, and are treated!I talked with Jadyn Coolidge (photography major), and Alison Lopez (fibers major) here at SCAD about their friendship and their thoughts on the power of female friendship.
HC: What’s one thing you love about her and in what ways does she help you?
JC: One thing I love about Alison is her huge heart. She is always putting others first even if she doesn’t know them personally. This results in her being a huge activist which inspires me everyday. She helps me settle down most days. She knows how to listen to all of my rants and give reassuring advice. We both have high anxiety levels, but somehow we’re still able to talk each other off the figurative ledge.
AL: I’d have to say how she can always remain positive in the most insane situations. I struggle with anxiety and she is great at calming me down and bringing me back to Earth. She likes to remind me that everything happens for a reason.
HC: In what ways do you two work well together?
JC: We are either similar or opposites when it matters most. We have enough similarities to keep us having fun and want to be in each other’s company. On the other hand, we have different opinions and tastes that keep us learning and growing from each other.
AL: I feel the same. We work well together because we are so alike [and] yet different, we essentially balance each other out.
HC: What keeps you two close?
JC: I think this goes back to the previous question. I’m amazed by the fact that we are still able to find things to talk about despite being friends for 6+ years! We’re great at helping each other grow as individuals while still managing to respect our changing styles and attitudes. We just continue to inspire each other to be better people.
AL: Well we’re so close because we live together, so I can’t get away from her! When we don’t see each other during the day, we still come home to each other and talk about our day. We are both great listeners and great at talking things through.
HC: What does having a strong female friendship mean to you?
JC: I find having a strong female friendship is so important because there is always someone there who can understand exactly what you are going through. There are too many people who’d rather tear women down. We as women are the first step at making a change in this oppressive world. Luckily I’ve got my ride or die beside me.
AL: Girls are so amazing! There is this sense of sisterhood and solidarity in knowing what each other go through and your adversities. You can educate each other to never stop learning and to grow as individuals. There is nothing quite like it. These two ladies are of different backgrounds yet come together to endure and face off the challenges they may come across as individuals or as one (females). Through their love of art, traveling, and nature they form a bond that can’t and won’t be stopped. What other females may learn from their friendship is that a true friend will do anything for you and it won’t be at an inconvenience.
Now imagine this power of friendship on a much more massive scale. A scale of millions and billions of females coming together to empower one another. Working together to create a better future for themselves and generations of women after. Creating change so that justice is brought to those who deserve and assuring consequences to those who deserve. No more bad talking and criticizing, but instead, educating, lifting up, and walking besides one another. This will be so that tomorrow when you wake up you will not be fearful, have apathy, feel antagonized, and alone. Instead this will be so that tomorrow when you wake up you will be brave, have ambitions, be part of a solidarity, and loved.
Links:
Me Too: https://metoomvmt.org Women’s March: https://www.womensmarch.com Time’s Up Now: https://www.timesupnow.com
Jadyn’s Social Media: https://www.jadyncoolidge.com https://www.instagram.com/jadyns_pov/ Alison’s Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/birthofalison/
Photos in order by:
Omar Lopez https://unsplash.com/@omarlopez1
Jadyn Coolidge
Jadyn Coolidge
Becca Tapert https://unsplash.com/@beccatapert