One of the Iraqi women I work with yesterday [paraphrasing]:
“I got married when I was sixteen. He was 31. I begged my parents to let me stay with them, but we were poor and he was offering them money, and they were afraid if I didn’t get married soon that I would be raped and my honor would be taken.
My mother explained sex to me right before the wedding. He tried to have sex with me the first night but I screamed and pushed him away. He got angry and he threatened to divorce me. I would have nowhere else to go. I tried to pretend I was a different person and it would be over soon.
Now he only has sex with me when I am sleeping. He decides he wants sex or another baby and I pretend I am still asleep so I don’t have to look at him while it happens.”
She is now nineteen years old with three children and a fourth coming.
I asked her if she knew she was describing rape. “But, it is my husband,” she said. “If it weren’t for my children, I would kill myself.”
One of the Iraqi women I work with yesterday [paraphrasing]:
“I got married when I was sixteen. He was 31. I begged my parents to let me stay with them, but we were poor and he was offering them money, and they were afraid if I didn’t get married soon that I would be raped and my honor would be taken.
My mother explained sex to me right before the wedding. He tried to have sex with me the first night but I screamed and pushed him away. He got angry and he threatened to divorce me. I would have nowhere else to go. I tried to pretend I was a different person and it would be over soon.
Now he only has sex with me when I am sleeping. He decides he wants sex or another baby and I pretend I am still asleep so I don’t have to look at him while it happens.”
She is now nineteen years old with three children and a fourth coming.
I asked her if she knew she was describing rape. “But, it is my husband,” she said. “If it weren’t for my children, I would kill myself.”
– don’t compete or turn against other girls in your school or college. start study groups, work together, become a tutor. collectively succeed.
– pay close attention to women in your field of study who may have been ignored in the past. there are tons of awesome ladies in almost every subject matter whose accomplishments have been overlooked.
– tell a female teacher or lecturer that you appreciate her or that she inspires you.
– when buying stationery, prioritize companies run by women.
– consider learning languages spoken by marginalized people in order to spread ideas.
– don’t be afraid to insert radfem theory into your essays if relevant.
– make an effort to read up on women’s history; make sure our struggles are not forgotten.
-women have always been associated with nature. grow your own tea for sleep and concentration, press flowers to decorate your notes with, write on both sides of the paper.
– combat the statistics and speak up in class. be heard.
– attend and apply for girls’ schools and women’s colleges if possible. otherwise create female-only clubs and societies.
– it’s exhausting but remember that you are loved within our movement. do what you can to relax, but keep working for those goals and making us proud.
🌹hot water bottle, covered in a few drops of your favourite essential oil (I vote jasmine), wrapped in a beautiful scarf.
🌹put a disk of fresh ginger, and a shake of cinnamon and cardamom in your coffee grinds. Brew, and add soy milk as you like.
🌹imagine the centuries of women who were denied education cheering you on and sending you their energy, rage and intellect.
🌹sit down in a beautiful place, put your mind to it, and get studying.
🌹if you get stuck, take a shower, cleanse your space, and get back to it.
🌹hot water bottle, covered in a few drops of your favourite essential oil (I vote jasmine), wrapped in a beautiful scarf.
🌹put a disk of fresh ginger, and a shake of cinnamon and cardamom in your coffee grinds. Brew, and add soy milk as you like.
🌹imagine the centuries of women who were denied education cheering you on and sending you their energy, rage and intellect.
🌹sit down in a beautiful place, put your mind to it, and get studying.
🌹if you get stuck, take a shower, cleanse your space, and get back to it.
Celtyradfem 