#YESALLWOMEN

I hate the news. I never watch it. I am the type of person who tries to always project positivity, which becomes difficulty when weighed down by all the negativity from the media. I always say, if it's important enough I will hear about it on Facebook. Well, this week, I did.

If you've been on Facebook this week, you've undoubtedly heard about the shootings near USC Santa Barbara. The news of that shooting was followed by two major Twitter threads. First was #NOTALLMEN, closely followed by #YESALLWOMEN.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about here's a quick rundown. A 22 year old boy went on a shooting rampage on Friday night killing six and leaving 13 injured. Before his violent spree he left a 137 page manifesto for his parents as well as a video posted on YouTube. In these manifestos the killer states that he was paying back humanity for injustices against him. These injustices are that women didn't return his affections. Yes, you read that correctly. No, calling him a boy instead of a man was not a mistake or typo. Below is the video posted as well as a link that will lead you to the manifesto.

Manifesto

While I avoid the news at all costs, this story warranted a response. Here's the truth. I share some things in common with this murderer. I am a 24 year old woman who has never been kissed, never had a boyfriend, never been on a date, and is still a virgin. Don't worry. I'm not going to go on a killing spree. You see, the key difference between us is that I don't consider myself a victim.

I'm not going to lie, it sucks. It really sucks! I have a huge capacity to love and all I've ever wanted is to find someone to love and who loved me in return. It doesn't seem like a whole lot to ask. I've dealt with the loneliness my whole life and it took me a while to get to the state of acceptance I'm in today. Yeah, it's not fun being alone, but any guy I like is not obligated to return my affections. I am not entitled to be loved romantically. The universe doesn't owe me that.

I know a perfectly wonderful middle-aged woman who never married. She is kind and loving and I'm sure she wanted to find a husband and have children, but it just wasn't in the cards for her. She accepted that. She dealt with that. She is living a happy life without having a man by her side.

I call this killer a boy because in this video he acts like a spoiled brat. It is a woman's person's prerogative to choose who they give their affection to and who they don't. No one is entitled to love. You have to EARN IT. My guess is that these "bitches" didn't return his affection because there were clear signs he was a PSYCHOPATH. I wouldn't want to date a dude this creepy, no matter how lonely I was. I also don't consider murder "gentlemanly" behavior. Just sayin'.

This guy thinks he's a victim, but he's not. There are real victims out there. There are the six people he murdered, the thirteen he injured, the families and friends of all the victims, and his parents, who have to live with the guilt of their son's actions.

I agree with both the #NOTALLMEN and #YESALLWOMEN campaigns. Both have good points. Not all men are monsters, but statistically speaking, women have a lot to be afraid of. Go wander around this site for a while and tell me we have nothing to fear. What is more shocking to me than the fact the people actually rape in the first place, is how victims are treated when they report rape. Read a few of the testimonials from Project Unbreakable and you'll see what I mean. These are REAL victims.

I may be lonely, but I'd rather be sad and alone than the one in every four women in the US who've been sexually assaulted. I am very lucky. Many people out there are not. Whatever group you fit into, victim or not, how you handle it says a lot about you as a person. Many victims go on to fight another day and help other victims. Whoever you are. Whatever your story. Don't act like a victim. Be strong. Be courageous. Be the change you want to see in the world. Live to fight another day. Know you are loved and you are a warrior. You are unbreakable.

Unbreakable

I'm sorry I've been so inactive for a while. There is so much life happening right now it's absolutely crazy! But today I was on Facebook and ran across something that I knew must be shared.

It's called Project Unbreakable.

Grace Brown, a photographer, started a small project that grew into something unstoppable. She took pictures of sexual assault victims holding posters of what their attackers said to them during the assault. Her project became so much more than what it was originally intended to be. Project Unbreakable is now a place for victims to speak out. It is a place of hope for those who have been attacked and others who will be attacked. The statistics are horrific. The posters are unthinkable. But this is not a dream. It is real and we need to wake up.

Many of the quotes are from family members and friends of the victims saying that it was somehow their fault. Rape is overlooked and commonplace. Project Unbreakable shows people what rape really is. It gives power and a voice to victims everywhere. It gives perspective to those of us who (thankfully) have never had to deal with that kind of abuse. It is a powerful tool that I believe has the power to make a huge change in this world. I plan on donating toward the cause.

I encourage all of you to take a few moments and visit Project Unbreakable and read the stories. These men and women are some of the most courageous people I've ever seen. They refuse to be victims any longer. They are fighting for change and for justice. They are survivors and they are

UNBREAKABLE.