My Voice

Hey Steph,
I'd like to introduce you to a girl names Malala Yousafzai. Maybe you know of her, but in case you haven't, here's a little bit about why you should. Malala was born in Pakistan, where during her youth, the Taliban took over her town and banned girls from going to school. Following after her father, Malala spoke up against this injustice. She was only 11 years old when she began to speak out. In 2008, she started writing a diary for BBC under a pseudonym. She spoke on radio stations in Pakistan decrying the Taliban ban on girls' education. By the summer of 2012, Malala had gained notoriety in Pakistan and abroad, and the Taliban began to fear her influence. Just over a year ago, on October 9, 2012, Malala was shot through the head, neck, and shoulder by a member of the Taliban. But Malala survived.

Picture Link. 

        And her voice hasn't gone quiet. On July 12--her 16th birthday--she spoke to the United Nations about education for all children. You can watch her speech here. (It's well worth your time.) Just last week, she appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where again she spoke with eloquence on why she did what she did:

"Why should I wait for someone else? Why should I be looking to the government, to the army, that they would help us? Why don't I raise my voice? Why don't we speak up for our rights? The girls of Swat [Malala's home region], they spoke up for their rights. I started writing the diary. I spoke on every media platform that I could, and I raised my voice on every platform that I could."

This young girl has every reason to not speak up anymore. She has every reason to not share her opinion. But she continues to proclaim the power of voice--of using it and not being afraid to stand.
           In this world of political correctness and respect for others opinions, I sometimes fill imprisoned. I am constantly aware of what everyone else is thinking, constantly aware of how I'll be interpreted and judged by the things that I say, constantly aware of how I might not be able to fully express acknowledgment of the wide variety of logical viewpoints of an issue and show respect toward them. I'm so worried of offending that sometimes I don't speak at all. I don't want to come off as rude. I don't want to come off as ignorant. I don't want to come off as non-empathetic. And so I'm left not saying anything.
          As I heard Malala speak a year after she'd been shot, proclaiming with eloquence, clarity, and wisdom in a language that was not her first, I thought, "She got shot at for her opinion, but she still keeps speaking. Can I not speak and be unafraid of far-less-terrifying consequences?"
          And even with that emboldening question pulsing through my brain, quickening my courage, and forming words in my mouth (or key taps in my fingers, as the case may be), I'm still nervous to speak. It is only when I consider a topic that I'm extremely passionate about, that the words seem to loosen in my mouth and fingers. As you know well, Stephanie, I feel deeply the importance of empowered women. My mind is often caught away with wanting women to see themselves as more, as powerful, as movers in their own lives. And if I'm going to work for empowered women, I need to be an empowered women myself. So these words must flow. They must be spoken. My voice must be heard. And if I can't find the courage to do it for my own empowerment, I can find power in doing it as an example to empower others.
          If only to help me overcome all the mental hurdles of being misinterpreted and misjudged in my expressions, I'd like to share a few foundational elements of all my future writing that may not be explicitly expressed in every post.

1) I write out of love. I try my hardest to view others around me with love first. If anything I write comes off as offensive, it is not intentional.
2) I write out of respect. I know that one person cannot agree with all the different views out there in the world, but I do respect others's rights to their viewpoints. If I write firmly, it is not because I believe other opinions are invalid or worse than mine.
3) I write seeking understanding. I do not know all, and I do not know much. I write from where I am in my life and that means I'm ignorant of a lot of different ways of seeing things. I welcome discussion that augments my current understanding.

          Phew, I feel a bit more able to write and speak now, to cast aside the laryngitis of fear that has imprisoned my voice. I've taken my voice back from the sea witch, and I'm ready to use it.

Cheers,

Amanda