My women; my beautiful, strong, courageous women. I am here. No matter where you are. I feel you. I feel your anger and your sadness and your hurt. I feel your rage when men of power speak about your body like it is a toy. When you clench your pepper spray on the walk home from work like it is your last breath. When cowardly men behind screens advocate to take away your voice; try to tell you what liberation shouldn't look like. When the men in your classes speak over you. When on your first date your body is not yours. When bars and parties stop being a recreation and start being the chore of cleaning up your self-worth after a night of grabs and pokes. When you are tired of the fight. I feel you.
I feel you.
I feel our hearts ache together. I feel the world beating down at our backs like a brutal sun, and we're called names if we ever beat back. I feel your body tremble as it fights to remain its own. I feel all the words stabbing you like a dagger: slut, bossy, whore, bitch, asking for it, prude, shrill, loud, liar, sensitive, stuck-up.
I feel you. And because I feel you, I say this: no questions asked.
I will not call you a whore. No questions asked.
I will walk with you anywhere. Down the hallway of the professor who gives you a strange feeling. To the bathroom of your preferred gender. Home. No questions asked.
I will understand if you chose to have sex with many men. I will understand if you choose to have sex with many women. I will understand if you chose to not have sex. No questions asked.
I will understand if God, Allah, or Buddha lead your liberation. No questions asked.
When you tell me that man I have known for years raped or abused you, I will drop him from my life. No questions asked.
When you raise your hand to answer questions just as much as the guys in the room, but receive eye rolls for being a know-it-all, I will glare with daggers at those who are annoyed by your female intelligence. No questions asked.
When a certain place brings back traumatic memories, we will not go there. No questions asked.
When you are assaulted, I will walk you to the courthouse. Or I will simply sit with you and cry. You know what's best, no questions asked.
When you choose to get an abortion, I will hold your hand to the clinic. I will understand sadness. I will understand relief. When you choose not to get an abortion, I will be there, too. No questions asked.
When the breakup is too much to handle, even for the strongest woman, I will eat ice cream and hold you like the most stereotypical romantic comedy you've ever seen, and we will still be strong women when it's over. No questions asked.
In your butch queer lesbian light, I will look upon you with admiration. No questions asked.
In your Tumblr pastel goth revelation, I will look upon you with admiration. No questions asked.
In your sorority sweater, leggings, and Uggs revolution, I will look upon you with admiration. No questions asked.
In your black girl magic, I will look upon you with admiration. No questions asked.
I say all this, because I feel you. Politicians are shouting at their podiums about our bodies. They are loud. We are louder. Never attack your fellow woman for the things that are being shouted at her by those who don't understand. Never call your fellow woman a slut or a prude. You owe her that. You feel her.
I feel you. 200%. No questions asked.
