I am a woman. And for that, I am not believed.

87: A page basically ripped from my diary about times I was not believed, and how hard it is to get over.

I was originally going to write an article about why women aren’t believed. ‘Cause that’s a problem. But after I put my heart and soul into a blog post in support of the trans community, with lots of articles linked, I wanted to give myself a break. I could talk about how doctors, police officers, and pastors alike have all historically held fast to looking down on and not believing women when they gather the courage to bring real problems to the table. But, sometimes, when I come in full-force with the data, I feel a little too logical for my taste. If anyone wanted to know about the reality of women’s oppression, they could Google their questions just as easily as I could.

But my experience? My emotions and my feelings? Those are uniquely mine to share. And it feels particularly powerful for me to share here, in my heart away from home, my blog.

“Your emotions? Your feelings?” You might be asking. “What do those wildly dramatized, untrustworthy experiences of yours have to do with the truth? Or reality, for that matter?”

Well, if you’re thinking that way, I really question why you’re here…

But here I go anyways…

I, myself, am a woman and I have experienced many instances of not being believed.

“Men want girls with good taste,

calm, obedient, who work fast-paced.

With good breeding and a tiny waist,

you’ll bring honor to us all.”