Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Reflections on the Occupy Movement

There are helicopters in the sky tonight. It's an unsettling feeling.

I do not Occupy, but I occupy.

I occupy a gender that lives in a society - a patriarchal society which prevents me from earning a full dollar and is based on biology and not on "me"

I occupy a sexual orientation that lives in a norm - a heterosexist norm which others me and attempts to define what my relationship should look like

I occupy a status that lives in a framework - a socioeconomic framework which privileges the few while devastating the many

I occupy a race that lives in a system - a racist system which has deliberately dehumanized people based on the color of their skin for the purpose of privileging the "white"

I do not Occupy, but I occupy.

I occupy a role - I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, a partner, a classmate, a niece, a seminarian and a citizen.

I occupy a voice - to talk, to shout, to whisper, to sing, to call out and to call  on.

I do not Occupy, but I occupy.

There are helicopters in the sky tonight. It's an unsettling feeling.

Maybe...maybe, things will change.