Censor Me Harder Baby: Port Townsend Speech in Defense of Women's Rights and Julie Jaman

August 15, 2022 #LetJulieSwim

This is my speech as written, I may have deviated slightly in the reading due to being surrounded by an angry mob of Trans Rights Activists. The day was intense, profound and empowering.

It shows that in 2022, women are fighting to not lose ground on rights we have taken for granted for decades. But we stood our ground in Port Townsend. We did not run, our stream was broadcast worldwide.

We showed we could fight when outnumbered ten to one and push literally came to shove.

We may not be welcome in Port Townsend but that does not mean we are going away.

Imagine you are in a public shower.

You are naked, relaxed after your workout.

You hear a voice you did not expect to hear.

What is your reaction?

Because of the prevalence of sexual assault and aggressive unwanted advances, women are socialized to be hypervigilent around men.

Our safety depends on situational awareness of our surroundings.

We know it is not all men.

But we also know the truth is, that, while some men will protect us, other men want to harm us.

[Here I said something like “Just see what is happening here right now.”]

It is not easy to discern any given man’s intentions because all too often they are well hidden.

Unfortunately, our default has to be distrust.

Julie Jaman is 80.

I do not know her story, but I do not have to.

It is doubtful whe has made it this far in life without having been the target of unwanted male attention that crossed boundaries.

Julie Jaman is not an offender.

She did not act out of hate.

She acted on gut instinct.

Something a woman ignores at her peril.

She has been punished for being uncomfortable around a male bodied individual.

She has been punished for having modesty and boundaries.

Denying an elder woman the ability to exercise is cruel and detrimental to her health.

Julie Jaman’s civil rights are being violated.

I have empathy for those exploring gender identity, I have been there myself, but trans rights activists should also have empathy for women like Julie Jaman.

They do not understand how hard it has been for women to control male access to their bodies.

Women are losing rights we have taken for granted.

It is regressive and wrong.

One group is being favored over another and that is not fair nor legal.

That is why we have come from across America to support Julie Jaman.

We are not OK with this.

We will not go backwards.

We are saying NO.

NO to the erosion of women’s rights and

NO to the erasure of our voices.

Thank you.