Bees In My Bonnet Vol.1

So during my long hiatus from writing anything here, I've realized something about myself. I'm much more motivated to write when I'm annoyed, and boy is there a lot to be annoyed about lately.

So let's dive on in, shall we? (Salty language warning!)

1. Recently, a social media trend using the hashtag #idontneedfeminism has sprung up. It seems to be perpetuated largely by young white girls, who truly seem to have no concept of a) what exactly feminism is or b) that a world of injustice and inequality exists beyond the idyllic bubble of American suburbia. These young ladies take photos of themselves with signs describing all they reasons they "don't need feminism", which usually involve not wanting to upset men, or somehow being seen as "victims" of something that's never specified.  The irony that seems exceptionally lost on these ignorant little souls is that feminism is solely responsible for their ability to express these idiotic opinions in a public forum in the first place. And simply because you, privileged young white girl, feel that feminism is irrelevant to your life, please do not take that to mean that all the world's problems have been solved, and that women everywhere enjoy the same rights and freedoms as you take for granted and apparently don't give a shit about or appreciate.

When I was about to come of voting age, my mother and I sat down and had a long conversation, not just about the fact that voting in a free democracy was a privilege not to be squandered, but that as a woman, I owed the right to vote to women who fought (and suffered) long and hard before me.  And the more I looked into it, the more horrified I was at the brutality that women protesting for the right to vote were subjected to. Imprisonment, beatings, starvation, sexual assault, public humiliation....the list goes on. It humbled me considerably and made me all the more appreciative, and I promised myself I would never take the ability to vote lightly (as an awful lot of my generation seems to, unfortunately...) And then less than 100 years later, along come these spoiled, entitled assholes to spit all over that legacy. So to these young ladies, and their mothers who never taught them any better, I say fuck you. Generally, I am of the "to each their own" school of thought, but in this instance, to truly believe what these girls are professing to believe, is to be willfully ignorant and uneducated on a subject that literally allows you to live the life you live today. Learn some fucking respect.

2. Caitlyn Jenner.  While I have been pleasantly surprised by the positive reactions to Bruce Jenner's reintroduction to public life as  Caitlyn, there have been several things that have just left me...shaking my head to say the least (that ESPN Arthur Ashe Award nonsense for starters, but that's a head shaker for another time).  The following images were reposted on Facebook, by individuals I know, and certainly many more beyond that.

The first:





And this second image with the following caption: "As I see post after post about Bruce Jenner's transition to a woman, and I hear words like, bravery, heroism, and courage, just thought I'd remind all of us what real American courage, heroism, and bravery looks like!"

Now please make no mistake.  I believe providing clean energy free from dependence on a corrupt government system as Akon is helping to, and military service in all its forms, are incredibly noble and respectable things.  But they have absolutely ZERO correlation to Caitlyn Jenner whatsoever.  Caitlyn Jenner did not wake up the morning her Vanity Fair cover was to be released thinking "I sure hope this pulls focus from the struggles of disadvantaged people in West Africa" or "Gee, if only there was a way this photo could dump all over the American military community". Caitlyn Jenner did what she did so publicly to put focus on a disadvantaged group right here in the U.S (and beyond), where doing what she did constitutes an act of bravery because of ignorant and dismissive attitudes like those expressed above.  Where doing what she did not only exposes her to ridicule and tasteless jokes, but statistically makes her far more likely now to be harassed, assaulted or murdered.  Transitioning into who you want to be shouldn't have to be "brave" or "heroic" or "courageous", it should just be something people are able to do for themselves if they wish, and have everyone around them realize it's not about them in the least. And until those out there with the smallest minds and biggest mouths are able to take a step back and a hard look at their own privilege and attitudes and exactly why they feel the need to victimize those different from them, then celebrities/public figures (whomever really), undergoing gender reassignment/transitions will continue to be newsworthy. If you don't like it, feel free to ignore it, and accept that it truly has nothing to do with you, and in no way affects you personally. Because it doesn't. And you're entitled to your opinion. But don't attempt to diminish Caitlyn Jenner's gracious and brave act for the greater good (of the trans community in particular, but really of us all) by suggesting that it somehow takes anything away from other causes or issues. Because it doesn't.

Please stay tuned for more bees.