"having parents that were really angry and petty and abusive when you were young is weird, because it makes part of you grow up to want to be kind, to generate good things, to be a source of peace and wellbeing for others; but it makes another part of you grow up to be quick, and sharp, and spiteful, and that’s always the part that shows itself first in a hard situation, so it’s a struggle between your hateful gut reactions and your wish to not add any more misery to the world. it’s a hard balance, and the people who really, really know me - i know they see that anger flash in my eyes before i quiet it, if i quiet it…i want to overcome years of conditioning, and with gentle, constant force, i know i’ll mellow it. it just takes time."
Nitáimixtsinaki, “I Braid,” is a short, wordless comic I made to illustrate and process the experiences of native girl children who have become victims of sexual assault. How do we reconcile our pain with our culture? How do we process the inter-generational trauma? How do wash away the feeling of disappointing our ancestors? It is not our fault, we are not to blame. Our bodies and minds are holy, and together, we can overcome. You are not alone.
This about protecting HER sense of modesty, not what the world will let her show.
There are a lot of misconceptions about hijab. Ask a muslim what it means to them rather than looking to someone outside their faith to interpret.
How is it is supposed to work: your emotions are a response to your situation and surroundings. It is OK to feel the emotion. Now take that emotion and use your logical brain to decide which parts of the emotion fit the facts of the situation and which do not and why, and how you’re going to respond to said emotions (which is what tweet said, and what therapists say)
How people seem to interpret it: any emotional reaction is perfectly fine and I am not responsible for what I do out of emotion.
