Sara Conklin, Washington, DC, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent
What would that be like? I’ve spent the past several days in quiet contemplation on the matter. After “planning” (read: pinterest’ing) my probably-not-happening-anytime-soon trip to Burning Man, I came across this striking art installation by The Bliss Project, of a 40-foot woman that poses the question, what would the world be like if all women were safe?
Well, for starters, my world would be drastically different. I have built a life around women survivors; women who have braved incomparable odds and battled life’s challenges. I work in a community center and housing complex for women experiencing homelessness. I drum alongside an all-women’s cohort of marching percussionists. I keep a tight-knit group of women warrior friends. And I champion daily, my mother and grandmother who came before me and all they’ve taught me about strength and veracity. (Heck, I even write for this blog.)
What I love the most about this sculpture of the female form is that you can’t hide from it. She is vivaciously and fiercely alive. Her presence is notably dominant on the landscape. But, as the artist Ian Mackenzie mentions, “that very energy is dangerous for women to do in the real world.”
If I closed my eyes and imagined a world in which all women were safe, I see a huge void. Would my all-women’s drumline have the same necessary element of female empowerment? Would my girlfriends have the same compassion and vitality each time we meet? And more interestingly, would the organization I work for simply exist?
Perhaps this speaks more to the lifestyle I’ve chosen, then the dramatic question the artist poses. Nonetheless, it got me thinking about my daily environment and mainly that the threat of being unsafe is what permeates my everyday life.
And what an interesting thought that is – Do you pity the person who lives with that in mind each passing day, or in solidarity, do you choose to champion her?
These are a lot of questions that I do not have the answer to. But, what I can begin to conclude is that if we are faced with a world where women will not, have not, and cannot always be safe, then I am proud there are so many sisters with me. If the impossibility is permanent, together we can lessen it. If we do indeed share the burden, I’m happy at least to know I am sharing it. For being alone in a fight is a scary thing.
Sara works in fundraising events at an organization that empowers women who face homelessness through recovery, wellness training, and housing. She runs her own photography company (saraconklinphotography.com) and a popular website that seeks to connect the world through pictures, sarapose.com.
