I'm a girl who was physically and mentally abused by my step mother as a little kid. It made me very gun shy and I remember trying so hard to earn the favor/respect of other girls and women for years. The only thing it earned me was more pain and humiliation, including my first black eye in school.
I quickly found comfort/safety in boys and maintained lasting friendships with them. My boy friends actually helped me find some worth and stand up for myself. They loved me, protected me and remained loyal companions through years of change.
My first job out of school became a nightmare with a female supervisor who shamelessly forced me into demeaning "tasks" on the grounds that she "just didn't like me." She also regularly cut my hours for no apparent reason. Years later, I had to quit a job I really liked after a female co worker began making my life a living hell. Reporting her to yet another female supervisor was met with the same "maybe you're over reacting. She wouldn't do that." Eventually, my sanity took precedent.
Over the years, I heard about feminism and was told it was like a big sisterhood of girls helping other girls get through their troubles. It sounded kind of promising and maybe the place to start healthy connections, maybe find a little healing. Because, you know... maybe I was wrong about girls. But, each time I reached out to talk about what happened, it was dismissed or knocked down with some "at least you weren't (insert whatever) by a guy" argument.
Every small, negative encounter with men was surrounded with anger, validation and an outpour of support. Yet, the more I searched for understanding for my very real turmoil, the more adversary I was met with. Again, I found myself cold shouldered in women's groups and support circles.
I gave up on understanding other girls and wanting to be accepted by them. That's the most liberating thing I've done yet.
TLDR I was abused by women, feminism kicked me when I was down and now I'm going my own way.
[–]_niall__9 points10 points11 points (0 children) | Copy
[–]DevilishRogue7 points8 points9 points (1 child) | Copy
[–]5th_Law_of_Robotics4 points5 points6 points (0 children) | Copy
[–]drymommystears[S] 7 points8 points9 points (2 children) | Copy
[–]ooooq42 points3 points4 points (1 child) | Copy
[–]julie_k85 points6 points7 points (2 children) | Copy
[–][deleted] (1 child) | Copy
[deleted]
[–]julie_k81 point2 points3 points (0 children) | Copy
[–]axonMagnus2 points3 points4 points (0 children) | Copy
[–]Profligate-Prophet2 points3 points4 points (0 children) | Copy
[–]ellenvonboyce1 point2 points3 points (2 children) | Copy
[–][deleted] (1 child) | Copy
[deleted]
[–]ellenvonboyce1 point2 points3 points (0 children) | Copy