6 Comments

This is brilliant! Everyday acts of non-violent rebellion that anyone can do, and the more you practice the more fun because it's definitely NOT FUN to be aware of normalized everyday garden variety aggression and not be able to do something about it in the moment. Great share!

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yes everything you do matters and makes a difference!!

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During strategy sessions at work, there is always someone needed to facilite/lead the conversation and someone who documents and takes notes. I make sure to ask the women in the room if they want to facilite and “voluntold” the younger men to take the notes. Gotta train em young 😎

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Whenever I feel a little hopeless or ineffective as positive change agent, I shall remember this quote, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world, Mead says. “In fact, it's the only thing that ever has." I too have been conscious of using women as a benchmark for success in both professional and social settings. Great article.

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This made my day.

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Yes, I love this! I also have been defaulting to the pronouns 'she' or 'they' when ambiguous (e.g. a squirrel in the yard, an animated character in a movie, basically anywhere) because I notice so clearly that, when in doubt or without even thinking, people say 'he'.

Yesterday I joined an Irish dancing group for the first time with some friends and took the 'lead' position (instead of the follow), typically very gendered positions. Dancing with my male partner, an older woman came up to physically 'correct' us, assuming that he should be the lead. I corrected her that I was intending to learn the lead, and she was surprised but quietly backed off. We all ended up having a great time!

So many aspects of our culture can and should be quietly challenged like this.

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