"a woman is brave when she knows what can be done to her, but in spite of such knowledge, manages to help other women anyway. a woman is brave when she is able to do combat with the "good little girl" within, the voice that says mind your own business, tend to your own garden, don't help, you'll get in trouble, you'll get caught, you'll be sorry, you'll be punished, no one will like you"
phyllis chesler, letters to a young feminist, p. 121
i found this quote so thought-provoking and right on the money. i feel like i do have a desire to be that 'good little girl' that does the 'right' thing... meaning shuts up and takes it. chesler is encouraging a combat with this 'good little girl' and that's where i really question if that's right. is combat really what we need? is combat really going to work? has combat ever 'worked' in the past? what can we do with the 'good little girl' inside (or the one we so often play outside)? can we heal or empower her to stand for herself--and therefore, stand for ourselves?
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