So you might not pick up on this fact from the title of this post, but I’m a HUGE Taylor Swift fan. I love her so much. She’s the reason I ever picked up a guitar and taught myself to play. Hearing her voice evolution from her first ever released album to her latest gave me hope that I could improve my singing as well (although I don’t have the money she does to drop on vocal coaches). Hearing her sing live (via Youtube) at the Grammy Museum actually gave me chills. And my favorite thing about her, she takes a stance against haters, and she always looks great doing it.
So why does this famous groping lawsuit she has going on with Mueller have me riled up?
Because she’s not the only one. Not just that, but her case isn’t even as severe as others. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying she should suck it up and let him get away with violating her body. Rather, I’m infuriated that her case is getting so much attention as an anomaly.
Why is it so crazy that a woman is taking a stance to defend her own body? Why does she have to stand as an example? This isn’t the first case of bodily violation, and it certainly (unfortunately) won’t be the last.
Someone very close to me was violently raped years ago. I watched this person go through PTSD. I watched her break down over and over again without fully realizing she was doing it. I watched her go through temper tantrums she couldn’t fully control, and I watched as her perception of everything was so warped she thought the people who loved her most were out to get her.
Nothing broke my heart more.
It took many years, but she’s healed so much. She’s become so much better, and she’s a lot healthier. But it didn’t happen overnight, and the healing isn’t absolute. Sometimes, under a lot of stress or with the wrong string of words entering her ears, she still breaks.
And the man who took away all those years from her? Who stole a part of her sanity and left a dark shadow in her memory and scars on her body that will never fade?
He’s walking free.
He went to jail for a little while, sure, but he was let out on probation so quickly. Now he’s just free to hurt another woman again.
What the hell, America?
This is just one of countless examples of our impaired, unjust, and erroneous court system.
It is 2017, and women are still viewed as property. Men still feel the need to shove their assumed superiority in our faces, and into our bodies.
I should not feel fear as I take a stroll in my neighborhood with my little squirrel-sized dogs at night. I should not feel violated when I’m dressed nice and a guy leers at me from across the room. I should not feel terrified as a large vehicle with a creepy dude driving it freaking stops his car on the crosswalk where I walk my dogs at night, or in the parking lot of the park I walk past (only to start the car and drive away quickly as soon as he sees me making a call). And this isn’t a one time occurrence either. It’s happened multiple times.
It’s 2017, America. Wake up!
What are the court systems doing to help us? They send the perpetrators to jail for a short period of time and then let them roam free. Free to hurt me and those I love over and over again.
Do you know the absolute fear my friend felt when she told me this guy got out on probation? I have never seen her afraid of anything, yet this human, this monster disguised as a man, who got a slap on his hand before being let go, turned my brave, strong female role model into a pile of ashes.
So for everyone’s sake, I do hope Swift wins the case in her countersuit next week. Not just that she wins as a famous person, but that she wins as a woman with autonomy over her own body. That her case serves as an example that actions aren’t without consequences. That court systems start ruling in favor of the violated, broken and destroyed woman instead of the seemingly harmless man who smiles a horrific and villainous grin as he “claims control” both inside and outside the courtroom.
Because those women who actually have the guts to take their cases to court and sit there and relive every horrifying minute of their abuse are real heroes, and they deserve to feel safe, supported, and loved.
Each of them rises as the most glorious phoenix from a pile of ashes comprised of fear.
Women, you are glorious. You are beautiful and supported and loved. Even if justice does not stand with you, know that we do. Millions of people support you and want to be there to cheer you on as you feel like you will crumble.
Because you are strong. You are dazzling. You are triumphant.
You are our superstars.
Love always,
Madeline
madeline's mischief 