As our Quill Fated Scribe Luke Young is male, I’ve invited his incredibly talented wife Loralie Young to contribute to our International Women’s Day celebration with a few words on resiliency and women. Loralie beautifully illustrated reflection highlights women as a historical underdog who as a collective have alway endured relentlessly.
Being a woman has never been an easy thing. Throughout history, women have been treated as secondary, less-than, always hovering on the periphery of greatness, despite the fundamental role we have played in the furthering of humankind’s existence. Despite our recent advancements in society, the demands on those who identify as female have never ended, only increased - wrapped up in platitudes of advancement, equality and progress. Despite being the unsung backbones of communities, the creators of life and the nurturers of humanity, women are expected to quietly occupy a lower echelon in our world, to carry unequal burdens with no support, no recognition, and no hope for actual change - love and respect hinging on our productivity and ability to endlessly give of ourselves with no support or respite.
Yet we continue on. In spite of everything leveraged against us, we pick up the pieces and forge something new.
Because we have hope.
Because we are resilient.
But we are tired.
Tired of endless marches and protests for the right to exist in a world we’ve created. Tired of having decisions for our own bodies stripped away, the rights of others always taking precedence. Tired of having our well-being and health come second place, always second place, over the needs and wants of a world that uses us, drains us dry, then leaves us in the gutter.
Tired of pleading with our communities to see us, hear us, support us, appreciate us and acknowledge us. Not for what we can give - haven’t we given enough? - but because we are inherently worthy as we are. Not as mothers, wives, sisters or daughters, or any title that proclaims our worth because of what we have done, what we have given, what we have sacrificed. Simply worthy because we are human beings.
To all the women, born or identifying, who continue to strive to live in this world - I see you. You are amazing. You are worthy of acceptance, love, respect and the right to exist. Not because of what you’ve done, sacrificed or created, but because of who you inherently are. You are not alone in this fight for existence. Never alone. When the hope for a brighter future deserts you, remember you do not have to carry the burden alone.
You are allowed space to rest, to be, to breathe, without expectation or condition.
Together we will get up again. We will continue on, because that is who we are.
We are resilient.
We are women.
CCIQ Press 