Small Revolutions

The longer I live, the more I can see the patriarchal (and hierarchical) structures and constructs imbedded in our systems, and in our lives. I was working with a client recently around the issue of keeping going when things are hard, of being encouraged, of not giving up and I brought up the analogy of sports, where we cheer people on, “come on, go, you can do it.” And as I was saying this, it dawned on me, that for as long as I can remember, watching football with my dad and my brothers, it seemed only natural, it was a normal part of life, that the pretty girls cheered for the male athletes, and I’ve been racking my mind to come up with a situation where attractive boys/men, dress up for and cheer female athletes on, shaking their pom-poms and all. And we wonder why women struggle for equality. 

In all seriousness, it is pay inequality, it is the perception of women as the “weaker” sex, it is in religious writings that tell us (or we interpret to believe) that women are not as close to god, not as holy, whether it is the story of Eve or Jezebel; it is also, all these little, perhaps even trite seeming ways, that women learn not to believe in and trust themselves in ways that will move them forward. So, do we want boys to start cheering at girls’ soccer games, or swim meets, or do we abolish the practice? Who gets cheered on, and who does the cheering, suddenly seems important to me. 

We all need encouragement at times, no matter our gender. And so, if you are not an athlete, if you do not have a parent, relative or friend who knows how to cheer you on, find one, be one. We all get discouraged by day to day challenges, let’s find ways to tell each other (and ourselves), “yep, it’s hard, but you can do it, I believe in you.” I believe in small revolutions, revolutions of the heart and mind, and in equality of cheer and encouragement for all.