31 Plays in 31 Days, #31 - "Uncle Justin's School for Rakes"

Finished the challenge! FOR THE EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN A ROW, WOOOOOOO!

Today is something new! I have been talking about how much I miss Nathaniel's charming rake of a brother Justin for a while now, so I thought I'd do something with him to finish things out this year. I love his combination of caddishness and principle, humor and sincerity. I also introduce Clara's twit of a little brother Damon, six years younger than her and Justin, who would love to be as smooth as Justin but really cannot pull it off.

So glad to be done.



( Day #31 - Uncle Justin's School for Rakes )

Brave or stupid

I went to the Counter-Protest to the Straight Pride today, and I just want to record some thoughts.

The police incited a lot of violence. I saw no particularly indication of trouble started by the protesters they seized even when they were quite close by to me. But I was not afraid of the police. I cannot really explain why. Maybe I was detached; I have been so burnt out with anxiety lately maybe I didn't have any fear left. Maybe I'm buried too deep in my privilege, and in my bubble I just could not conceive of being in real danger. Maybe this was incredibly stupid of me and I am just mind-bogglingly lucky that they didn't arrest or hurt me.

But men have never in my life treated me with the kind of patronization, aggression, or objectification that so many women as a group are subjected to. It just... doesn't happen to me. Ever, basically. And it didn't today.

Maybe it was my appearance or behavior. I am a small, conventionally attractive white woman who did not look queer, or Black Bloc. I am not much of a yeller or a chanter. I mostly just marched and stared. There was more than one cop I stared at until he looked away. Perhaps I was completely non threatening. Perhaps my privilege as that aforementioned kind of white woman was all consuming.

But when the cops rushed through their own barriers at nearby people dressed for Black Bloc, for no provocation that I could detect, sometimes they pushed right towards me. It did not frighten me. I didn't feel any need to move. They stepped around me as if I were a wall.

I keep replaying it in my head to see if I was being an idiot. Should I have been more afraid? Why wasn't I? I don't know on either count.