Dear Suffragettes
Here I am writing
The first of my of Love Letters.
I plan to write a 100.
1 letter for every year
Since the change you
So fiercely fought for began.
1 letter to all 100 women who I love.
You stand out
In a crowd of women and men
Who changed the course of history.
You saw that quiet negotiation
Was not working
And you drove social change
With your militant approach.
I am in no doubt
Had you been here
100 years later
Trump would have described you
As a ‘Nasty Woman’.
And you were.
You were unsettling
You discomfort drove others to be uncomfortable.
You were loud and divisive
You were more the floppy hats
We see now in grainy black and white
You were cotton and earth
You were long hours
You were sexually, physically
And emotionally attacked
You were without things
I now so readily take for granted
Rights over my body
Rights over my property
Rights over my children.
You were dismissed as temperamental
You were dismissed as difficult
And I am so thankful
That inspite of this
You ploughed on.
You clogged up the prison service
With your revolution.
When they had enough of the force feeding
When they had realised that prison
did not hold sway over the power
Of your mighty hearts
They took their violence onto the streets
Assaulted in broad daylight at the middle of the road.
How can I honour you?
How can I carry on your fight?
It’s more than voting and petitions.
It’s more than banner waving.
It’s more than marching.
It’s more than online campaigning
It’s living my life to the fullest
Not being held back
By the views of others
The laws support me
Even if some people do not.
I will stand up for fairness
And I will stand up for others
Whose representation is missing
I will hold space, create space
For others.
I will support, share, hold hands
Walk alongside those
Who are not granted the platform
That I do have.
I will not run away
I will not be apathetic
Or indifferent.
I will not be silent.
Love
Felicity
Goodman 