Fight For More Than Just Yourself

Fighting for a cause that's greater than yourself is vital. Important issues are currently being brought to the forefront of the media, but even when the headlines fade, the fight must continue.

The book Take Me With You is written by a distinguished poet named Andrea Gibson. Gibson, who uses the pronouns they/them, is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She uses poetry to convey important messages relating to societal reformation, gender equality and norms, and politics. The poems that fill the book give readers a look into the mind of a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Through Gibson's thoughts and experiences readers learn about the difficulties some members of the community face. I have placed a poem from the book below. I feel that this particular poem shares a message that is a perfect reminder for people to always keep in mind, especially now.

"Promise that who we weep and fight and tear down the sun for will not only be our own faces in the mirror."

Gibson's poem is expressing the importance of fighting for more than just yourself. While an issue may not directly effect you, it does not mean you should not get involved. Not being directly effected means you hold power. You have the ability to fight for those being oppressed and torn down. With the Black Lives Matter Movement being the current topic of most conversations, you see members of other oppressed communities fighting to help the movement. Many people apart of the LGBTQ+ community are taking to the streets to help fight for racial equality. The LGBTQ+ community is supporting a cause that may not directly effect them, but they understand the feeling of oppression, and they want to help combat it. This is the mentality that we all need to have. As a straight, white woman I've had to face few injustices in my life. While gender inequality is still present in the world, I've never had to endure the extreme discrimination people of color and LGBTQ+ people have faced. Not having to experience great inequity has made me a bigger advocate for these issues. Supporting those who are oppressed even if I'm not, is essential in creating an equal and peaceful world.