The nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the highest court in the land (by a confessed sexual assaulter) and the subsequent credible charges of sexual assault against him have, once again, forced women across the country to relive their own experiences with sexual misconduct. It also prompted them to share the protective strategies they’ve been forced to develop growing up in a culture where women are preyed upon by men and otherwise treated as second-class citizens.
Erynn Brook, who writes about feminism and culture, shared her story of learning how to set boundaries at an early age from her mother:
She talks about going to her first sleepover, which can be a tumultuous experience for any child, and her mother doing her best to make sure she felt comfortable leaving:
But even learning to set boundaries at a young age doesn’t always carry over to adulthood. There’s no silver bullet.
After her thread went viral, Brook added some clarifications that all children should be taught to act with their own agency:
Setting boundaries and teaching children that they don’t have to just go along with uncomfortable situations is incredibly important. Equally important is teaching kids to respect the boundaries of others. From the moment they’re born children are immersed in a culture that far too often devalues the experiences, thoughts, and feelings of women. This past week has been an emotionally exhausting reminder of that, but unfortunately it’s also been a necessary one.