Women’s lives are not inherently more valuable than men’s. The fact that seems like a controversial statement, is a revealing sign of the times.
But it’s no less true – women are not more (or less) valuable than men.
And yet, as the Ukrainian war rolls on, as the needless deaths pile up on both sides, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it has only impacted ‘women and children’.
“Women and children. Women and children. Women and children.”
It’s all I seem to read and hear.
‘The Ukrainian War – like all conflicts – will hit women and girls hardest.’ I’ve seen that exact headline so many times in the last two weeks, and it makes me despair.
Is there really no place where people will not start gender wars and pissing contests?
Is a Ukrainian man, conscripted against his will, forced to leave his family at the border, to be torn apart by Russian gun fire, better off than a woman stuck in refugee camps, without food or shelter, protecting her children?
Why are we even having such a conversation?
Why is the wellbeing of the men, who are literally laying their lives down for our very freedom *right now*, so easily deprived of compassion, by stupid, highly privileged journalists of the West?
Why is their suffering always made invisible?
It’s the shame of our media, and our society, and something that once you see it, you will never unsee.
Men matter too. Their lives are valuable. Their suffering exists.
And women are not children. Women are autonomous, independent, resiliant and powerful.
They are no more, and no less valuable than any other adult.
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For more of this, check out the Twitter account including_women ❤️❤️
#ukrainettm