Women’s Day
It’s Women’s Day today. I’ve been trying to work out how I feel exactly. There is so much going on in the world lately that makes me want to cry or get angry. But I know the only real way to fight misogyny, hate and fear in our societies is to do so through compassion, education and love. Hating each other, hating men, is never going to solve the inequality. The world and humanity need all of its people, whatever gender they are.
I am proud to be a woman. I appreciate so much the uniqueness of being exactly who I am and the gifts I’ve been blessed with. I’m also grateful for the privilege I’ve had to be able to largely choose the life I want to lead. I wish this for every single person in the world; man, woman, or non-binary.
I am an optimist, I do think we can grow as a species and that one day everyone will be equally valued and supported by society to reach their full potential.
We are too powerful, too strong, too determined and too passionate for this to not one day be the case.
I think Women’s Day is important.
Travelling
Recently I was looking up all the countries where there are laws that punish or discriminate against LGBT+ folk. You can check it out on Human Rights Watch for yourself here. I think many laws deal specifically with homosexual acts. I’m not in a homosexual relationship right now, nor would I ever commit any sexual acts in public, so perhaps it wouldn’t be an issue for me in many places.
However, I have published a book featuring lesbian characters and I have spoken out on this blog and elsewhere. Some countries “prohibit so-called “propaganda” in support of LGBT rights, in an effort to silence activists.” (Quoted from the website linked above.) Maybe it’s possible that I could be arrested and imprisoned in some parts of the world. It’s scary to think about.
I guess I’ll be avoiding much of the African continent, the Caribbean, the Middle East and parts of Asia and Oceania. I console myself with the knowledge that the world is a huge place and I could spend the rest of my life travelling in the remaining areas and still never be able to visit all of them. Maybe one day though, humans will be more accepting of differences and future generations will be able to explore anywhere they choose.
I have questioned whether I did the right thing coming out publicly. But I believe I have. Being authentic in who I am and in my writing is important to me. I don’t know if I would be so brave if I didn’t live in a country with freedom of speech though. I can’t even imagine the courage it must take to stand up and speak out, knowing you could face imprisonment or even death.
Travels closer to home
Upcoming Road Trip
At the end of next month I will be taking my family on a two-week road trip. We will be getting a ferry up to the Tokyo area and then travelling through the prefectures of the Kanto region, including visiting Mt. Fuji, before coming down to Kansai and then home. In total, we’ll be driving through 19 different prefectures. I have visited 42 of the 47 prefectures already and my children have 10 left to visit. So this trip will include the remaining places we need to say we’ve been to every prefecture in Japan. I’m very much looking forward to it.