Recently the 2018 Women’s March brought forth many brave souls fighting against strong odds for justices that are well deserved. I believe the most powerful part of the march are the strong individuals that speak in front of the country, bringing all those watching to powerful emotions. One speech that moved me unlike any other was the poem that was delivered by Halsey. The poem, “A Story Like Mine,” addressed the topic of sexual abuse in today’s culture. The topic that far too many people experience for themselves.
Today’s society is changing but is still a silent one, the one that puts its finger to its lips and every time you want to say, “this is wrong” you hear a soft “shhh.”
The voice is so strong sometimes you don’t even realize that its wrong. Sometime it takes a step back to see what just happened. It breaks my heart every time I hear the next story, whether it’s a friend or the next Hollywood headline.
Instances like girls not being able to say “no” without facing repercussions, or women being raped in alleys by strangers, or in recent events, a medical professional abusing some of America’s icons like Aly Raisman. The spectrum is a large one, and one that so many women fall on.
There was a part in Halsey’s poem that stuck out to me. She was talking about when she was dating this guy and he wanted something in return for always buying dinner. She said the line, “And he’s only a man, and these things he just needs,” and I feel like this line encompasses the mentality sometimes of our society. And this needs to change.
This isn’t a topic that we should shy away from, because everyone knows someone with a story similar to these or lives with the memories of one themselves. Whether it was someone you trust, are/were in a relationship with, or a complete stranger. It could be a one-time occurrence, or something so subtle it became normal. The one thing you can do is find someone you trust and talk to them.
But one thing is for sure. Voices are getting louder, they started as a low mumble but now there are courageous women shouting from the rooftops making sure the world hears them.
If you want to listen to Halsey’s moving speech, follow the link below.