vday

Vday is right around the corner. A few years ago, my boo and I got all dressed up and went to see a bunch of fabulous women perform The Vagina Monologues in Hollywood. Yeah, I was just as shocked as you, lol. He didn't hem or haw or roll his eyes or talk any shit. And I was proud as shit that he didn't, he sat through it, and it was probably the best, and certainly the most memorable valentines day I'd ever had. I still love him for that. To me, it was a great way to show his love. He listened, he stayed awake, and I hope he understood.
Sure, it's about love (What's love got to do with it? - Tina) but Vday is also a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery. <---taken from here http://www.vday.org/, Eve Enslers site. Eve is the creator of the Vagina Monologues. Every year I donate to her cause, my cause, every woman's cause to end violence against women.
Coincidentally, today I heard that Chris Brown was arrested on domestic violence charges. His victim was found on the street at midnight with visible bruises and identified him as her attacker. This saddens and outrages me for so many reasons, but most notably because many people are desensitized by stories like these, they're so commonplace. Just reading the comments online are amazing. There are people who think a "little roughing up" is ok and sometimes warranted.
I'm sure this instance of DV, like many others, will get brushed off and forgotten, and the underlying cause of why DV happens and is so common won't be addressed.
I hate that I'm not surprised. I hate that I choose who to date based on their seeming likelyhood of committing violence against me (this is why I couldn't date a cop, Pat). I've never been hit. But I've been threatened and handled and chased and had things thrown at me...because of my significant others' inconsolable anger over the most minute of things, and, in case you don't know let me tell you, that is a horrible feeling - to feel powerless and threatened and afraid of someone close to you. It removes the trust from a relationship, and who wants to be with someone they don't feel they're safe with? I'd wager the majority of men have no idea what that feels like, how frustrating and painful being powerless and afraid feels, how losing your freedom to just be feels. It shifts your spirit and you are never the same.
I don't know any man physically afraid of a woman.
rant over. I'll likely edit this tomorrow when I'm fully awake. Right now, I'm barely there. G'night.