Did I Mention Equality is a Core Value of Mine?

When I worked out my values during My Year of TED, I can't say that I was surprised that Fairness and Equality were right up the top. If I had a motto in life in would probably be "well that's not fair" - it is the first filter that I use when considering anything I experience in the world.

 

Having a strong value is fantastic, it helps you make decisions about the world. Not knowing what that value is isn't so fantastic. Then you make compromises without realising, ending up a little broken and resentful. But this is not about why you should understand your values - I have a whole freebie for subscribers that contains all that good stuff. This post is about violence against women, and how I think we need to shift some of the conversations we have.

 

Basically, I wrote a post about this for Thrive Global - Let's stop prioritising men's comfort. But that isn't all the article is about. It's about everyone's discomfort. And our defence reaction when others speak up against injustices perpetrated by people 'like' us. You know the #notallmen and #alllivesmatter type reactions.

 

The article is a plea for empathy and not making someone else's injustice about you. Because, unless you did the thing they are complaining about, it is never about you! This is part of my Aware word for 2019, because I know that I have definitely done this in the past. I try to be more mindful of it now, but injustice is not a competition and people need to be given space to speak about their own experience without our discomfort getting in the way.

 

Of course, this article also taps at my Brave word for 2019, but the people who have read it have generally been civil in their comments. I'd love you to have a read, and if it connects with you, consider sharing it with others.