Stand up for all

Lo chiamano life style, lo chiamano  blog, lo chiamano in tanti modi diversi, ma alla fine è solo aprire un foglio, in format web e gettare nel mare della rete parole, parole che restino, che non si lascino scivolare via, con quell’atmosfera sognante da film dell’orrore. Troppi silenzi, troppo tacito menefreghismo, troppa indifferenza in un mondo che ci fagocita lentamente e inesorabilmente che si perde nel mare della sofferenza tra indicibili soprusi ormai largamente accettati come “normali”.

Diventa allora impressionante scoprire come in certi paesi, apparentemente civilizzati accadano cose orribili, con statistiche altissime. E diventa allora ancora più importante condividere un video come questo. Un video per Care Norway dell’agenzia Schjaerven diretto da Swede Jakob Ström che apre gli occhi, in maniera anche abbastanza forte.

Dear Daddy,

I just wanted to thank you for looking after me so well, even though I'm not yet born. I know you already try harder than Superman; you won't even let mummy eat sushi!

I need to ask you a favor. Warning: It's about boys.

Because, you see, I will be born a girl, which means that by the time I'm 14, the boys in my class will have called me a whore, a bitch, a cunt, and many other things. It’s just for fun, of course. Something that boys do. So you won't worry, and I understand that. Perhaps you did the same when you were young, trying to impress some of the other boys. I’m sure you didn’t mean anything by it.

Still some of the people some of the people won’t get the joke and funnily enough it isn’t any of the girls, it’s some of the boys.

So by the time I turn 16, a couple of the boys will have snuck their hands down my pants while I’m so drunk I can’t even stand straight. And although I say no, they just laugh. It’s funny, right? If you saw me, Daddy, you would be so ashamed ... because I’m wasted.

No wonder I’m raped when I’m 21, 21 and on my way home in a taxi driven by the son of a guy you went swimming with every Wednesday. The guy who always told insulting jokes but they were of course only jokes so you laughed. Had you known that his son would end up raping me you would have told him to get a grip. But how could you know, he was just a boy, telling weird jokes and in any case it wasn’t your business. You were just being nice. But his son, raised on these jokes becomes my business.

Then finally I meet Mr Perfect and you are so happy for me Daddy because he really adores me. And he’s smart with a great job and all through the winter he goes cross country skiing three times a week just like you. But one day he stops being Mr Perfect and I don’t know why. Wait. Am I overreacting? One thing I do know, I am not the victim type. I am raised to be a strong and independent woman. But one night it is just all too much for him with work, and the in-laws and the wedding coming up, so he calls me a whore, just like you called a girl a whore in middle school once.

Then another day he hits me. I mean I’m way out of line, I can really be a bitch sometimes. We’re still the world’s greatest couple and I’m so confused, because I love him and I hate him and I’m not sure if I really did something wrong and then one day he almost kills me. It all goes black, even though I have a pHd, a fantastic job, I’m loved by my friends and family, I am well brought up. But nobody saw this coming.

Dear Daddy, this is the favor I want to ask: One thing always leads to another so please stop it before it gets the chance to begin. Don’t let my brothers call girls whores because they’re not. And one day some little boy might think it is true. Don’t accept insulting jokes from weird guys by the pool or even friends because behind every joke there is always some truth.

Dear Daddy, I know you will protect me from lions, tigers, guns, cars and even sushi without even thinking about the danger to your own life.

But Dear Daddy, I will be born a girl. Please do everything you can so that won’t stay the greatest danger of all.