By: Livvie Van Lanen, Editor-in-Chief
Designed by: Eury Kim
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish”
I grew up with a mother who made it her mission to show my sister and I that being brave, strong, and independent is the only way to exist as a woman in this world. I grew up with the privilege to have a voice, and make my voice be heard. But recently, it feels as if my voice has been softened...along with the other women around me. November of 2016 sparked a fire in my soul to change this.
As of late, the social climate in Madison has changed. I don’t feel as safe as I used to… a lot of women don’t. I can’t walk down State Street on a weekend night without being cat called, harassed, or stripped in the eyes of a stranger. I can’t walk home by myself without nervously gripping my pepper spray. It is time to stand up against this kind of behavior, and reclaim power and establish our safety.
People say that the harassment happens because of what a woman wears, the curves of her body, or the makeup she wears. I will NOT feel ashamed for my body, my favorite jeans, or my lipstick. The problem is not the clothes that I wear, the body I live in, or the way I walk. The problem is the toxic mentality that it is OK to objectify and sexualize women every second of the day.
