What we choose to see...

I wasn't going to post this, but my parents have talked me round. I drew this a couple of days ago. It's my response to what I've seen, and not seen, in the media lately.

I heard about the Chibok abductions on Monday, through some well connected Facebook friends. I believe it didn't really hit the news until yesterday, and even now, it's still not headlining.

The fact that two hundred girls have been taken to who-knows-where to have let's-not-even-imagine-what done to them is hideous, atrocious. Sometimes, the evil things that happen in this world make me shudder. Wherever these girls are at this moment, I am praying for them; that they will see their families again, that they will survive.

In case you still haven't heard, and to be fair, it has been quite possible that you may have missed it, this article will bring you up to speed.

"Our grievance is this: for the past two weeks and this is the third week, we have not heard anybody talking to us."  

Naomi Mutah, protest leader. 

My image above was in response to the anger I feel at what I see daily in the media, and social media.  And the priorities it seems to have. That we seem to have. That caring about things like which celebrity has the best bottom is the most important thing we can be doing. I could rant about this for hours, the way women are presented continuously to us, the affect that is having on our own self esteem, and the self esteem of our sisters, our daughters, the way our men see us... And sometimes I think, it's not just extremist groups like Boko Haram who are trying to squash female education, intellect, and achievement. Sometimes it's us, here in the western world, and the things we chose to look at or ignore. Sometimes it's women themselves, with their selfies and Instagram, who devalue the beauty and wonder of women. I know it's not consciously done, but I do actually think we have a responsibility to try to be conscious. To be aware.

If the media can be good for anything, it can do this. You can't tell me that if this had happened here, or in the States, there would not be the loudest noise going on about this. Kick up a stink. Shout about it. Let the women and girls of Nigeria here that we do care. That they are as important to us as reality TV stars. That they are worth just as much.