Color Me Butterfly

This past week we were inundated, overwhelmed, consumed by the news that syndicated radio jock Don Imus had referred to an elite group of young women of the Rutgers University Basketball team –  as terms that I will not repeat because I refuse to give anymore credence to those disparaging, horrible words.  Words that has sparked a national uproar, blew the lids off of our ‘caps’ and brought renowned media coverage and focus.

And though I have mixed feelings about what was said, how it was said, how it was reacted to, and what occurred as a result of Imus’ actions, I am left dumbfounded that we, as a society, required something of this caliber to happen before we raised our voices and spoke out against this resounding type of verbal abuse.  Women are tormented daily in our private, public and professional lives by words that are often used to describe and attack our self esteem, self worth, and self image.  Why did it have to take THIS to bring attention to it.  There are countless examples of these types of words that are used in video, audio, onscreen – in some of the highest rated movies and programs – and inside our homes when our spouses and significant other torment us with words that are capable of breaking down our souls, and yet… we have practically ignored these facts but have somehow found a voice through Imus.  How profound!

It should come as no surprise that verbal abuse is a form of violence against women.  Words are more capable of effecting long term damage, more often at times, then physical abuse.  I’d go as far as to say that words are even more lingering and damaging.  It’s not just the black and blue tattoos, or the swollen lip, or the gun that was pointed at me, or the knife that was used against my mother, it’s the words that have lingered in my mind, in my soul.  Words that had at times ripped apart my self image and made me evaluate my own self esteem, self worth and self respect. 

My hope is that this spark of focus and interest in how damaging words can be, will not fizzle away along with the cameras once the media moves on to the next ‘Hot Topic’; instead, it will be the match that lights the torch of a stance and crusade to raise awareness and enforce a cause that this sought of behavior is offensive and will no longer be tolerated without consequences. 

Last, but not least, let us not forget that – WORDS hurt too!