I joined a Facebook conversation this week, where a man said he was tired of talking about misogyny in the presidential race. I agreed. I’m tired too. Downright fatigued. You know what I’m more tired of? Misogyny. The good news in all of this? You know what our exhaustion is a sign of? Work. If we’re not tired, it means we aren’t addressing problems of racism, sexism, misogyny, and homophobia. How can we be agents of change or powerful allies if we’re not tired from doing the work of listening, learning, engaging, supporting, speaking up, and acting? Change is work.
If you are tired of talking about systematic racism, sexism, misogyny, and homophobia, you’re doing something right. If you’re not tired, get to work.
Feeling tired is a luxury many people do not have – they cannot simply walk away from race or sexual orientation or gender or ethnicity because they’re hurt, frustrated, angry, guilty, or discouraged.
Change is sometimes speaking up. More often, it’s listening. It’s biting your tongue full of excuses, ready to play “devil’s advocate,” coming to the defense.
Change is doing your own homework by reading, listening, contemplating, and coming to the table informed. It’s Googling before demanding explanations.
Change is listening to marginalized voices without requiring them to speak or behave in ways that make you comfortable.
Change is remaining at the table when the conversation is not about you or the number of minorities you know or how you feel or what you need.
Change is admitting that some things that are good for you are bad for others, then working to change them anyway.
Change is resetting the default button on your speech that favors white, male, heterosexual because speech is influential. It’s resisting the urge to call something “politically correct” instead of acknowledging pain.
Change is staying when you want to walk away; leaning into the hard feelings; listening when you want to rest; amplifying marginalized voices when others try to shut them down.
Change is recognizing that change is bone-weary, painful, exhausting work and getting to work anyway.
If you are tired of talking about systematic racism, sexism, misogyny, and homophobia, you’re doing something right. If you’re not tired, get to work. Change is work.
i wish more ppl would read this.. and i wish more pppl would agree.. change is hard but it needs to be done sometimes
I agree with this so much and just wish so many other people could see it this way as well.
Yes. Let’s not rest until the whole world is tired!