Years back….in the time before Covid19….in the time when I was still a citizen of the European Union….I made the decision to ‘badge’ myself as a feminist on social media.
I’d been thinking about it for a while, but I really wasn’t sure whether it would be viewed positively by others – women or men. It took seeing a popular (at the time) politician from overseas for me to overcome my trepidation, and to headline my social media accounts with the designation. That politician was Justin Trudeau, and he publicly urged men to embrace the word – and everything that lies behind it.
Mr Trudeau’s popularity has waned somewhat since then, and he’s faced criticism of his own feminism. But of course, this is part of the power of the public declaration. Once declared, forever – in principle – held accountable.
But what did feminism mean to Mr Trudeau? And what does it mean to me? And in the context of the recent #BlackLivesMatter #BLM movement, what does a public declaration of being an anti-racist mean?
I decided that I needed to publicly commit to a set of standards that I expect of myself and that others can expect of me. I confess that they may be naive, and I’m happy to take recommendations for improvement. But I also feel that it’s not enough to just *be* an anti-racist, or a feminist. I also have to make a public stand, and to help others gain confidence to make their stand too.
I’ve also detailed the things that I have done in order to make a material difference to both movements. Again, I’d be happy to take any feedback on what I’ve described.
Wales is not immune to accusations of systemic racism, and systemic sexism. It’s incumbent on all who have power, in whatever sector, at whatever level, to try to redress the balance ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟโ๐ปโ๐ผโ๐ฝโ๐พโ๐ฟ.