Friday Five: In Grief and Solidarity
If there's something that has been made crystal clear throughout our years as an organization advocating for empowerment and liberation in people's lives and relationships, it is that we as humans have a deeply shared need for connection.
We have a need to be heard, held and to live our relationships in a way that is meaningful to us; this crucial aspect of freedom—along with other fundamental human rights like housing, food and access to clean water—is being violated to the people in Gaza in the most brutal way possible.
At My Sex Bio, we strongly condemn the violent dehumanization and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. Sexual freedom won't come until human rights can be ensured for EVERYONE. Keep reading for…
5 ways to show your solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Support and Stay Informed
Below are some resources from accounts that have active experience and education in the occupation. These accounts remain updated and have links to donate, take action, and educate.
Accounts to follow on Instagram:
@uscpr
@jewishvoiceforpeace
@PalestinianYouthMovement
@so.informed
CONTENT WARNING: many images and content on the following pages are graphic. The content shown on these pages is the lived reality of many who are currently experiencing the effects of settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing. Please ensure you are doing what you need to to take care of yourself and continue to stay informed.
@eye.on.palestine
@motaz_azaiza
@m.z.gaza
@belalkh
2. Learn
While the violence exerted during this conflict has no place in anyone's book, this conflict is a sensitive situation as it goes way back. Making sure you educate yourself along with staying informed is important in making sure you are taking the action you can, understanding the nuance of the situation.
Are you a reader? Click this link for a collection of free E-books on the Palestine resistance.
3. Reflect
Settler Colonialism, defined by Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), a Palestinian-led movement, is "a form of colonialism in which settlers create societies that are distinct from the indigenous population and seek to control land and resources and establish their own economy and system of governance." This system is perpetuated all over the world, and we are actively seeing this happen in Palestine, The Congo, and Sudan.
We should reflect on how we, as consumers and bystanders, contribute to this ongoing cycle. Below are some prompts to further understand how this cycle continues within ourselves:
How did your early caregivers talk about skin color? How did their beliefs and views shape you? Do you still resonate with those beliefs?
Name your favorite television shows, movies, and/or comic books you consumed as a child and teenager. Were people of color present? If yes, what roles did they play? What were their characteristics, clothing, and speech? Are these characteristics realistic to the experiences of people of color?
What does power mean to you? Who holds power in the country you live in? What is their gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation, and political stance? In what ways do they reflect you?
4. Understand Your Involvement
USA, We Are Looking at You.
While you are not in Gaza making the choices that are ultimately leading to this genocide, your country's place in the global power structures might mean that your country is able to oppose or support, in one way or another, the decisions that are leading to this tragedy.
“This is not two foreign countries in disagreement with each other that US citizens have no business giving their opinions about; this is fundamentally a US-backed violence that US citizens therefore have a duty to oppose,” states Social Emotional Leftist Pierce Delahunt.
You can vote and use your civil liberties to back policies and political decisions that stop your country from being supportive of any form of violence, either in your homeland or elsewhere.
5. Breathe; The Cycle Ends with You
Staying mindful of our nervous system is key in this day and age like it has never been before. This global community of humans is in desperate need of less reactivity and more compassion, empathy and grounding…
How much attention are we giving to the way we handle our emotions?
How aware are we of the thought processes we are reproducing every day in our minds?
How much are we letting established scripts influence our behavior?
Do these contribute to a more understanding and peaceful world or are we perpetuating—consciously or unconsciously—stereotypes and unequal power structures?
The systemic violence we experience in our world will always have a personal dimension to it. When we are able to radically choose compassion over violence on a personal level, we are better able to end the cycle of hatred that has taken us to this point in the first place.
Continue to spread love within your community in any way you can while remaining mindful of the current conditions of others. Practice gratitude often and continue to speak for liberation for all.
