I would add this, Devon: those experiences that you had, and that I had (I'm an incest survivor, was gang raped in the military, and then had a military psychiatrist rape me on every vist that I HAD to show up for, go figure) sculpt us. They can make us broken versions of ourselves or they can, as you are clearly choosing to do, build us into super sheroes. These are the very events which are required to show us who we can be, rather than to sit and snipe at each other like bitter moray eels living in emotional caves. You WILL draw ire. You WILL draw hate to your self. The stronger you get, the more out loud, the more powerful, the more you will threaten other women. They are NOT your problem. What you and MarleyK and Sharon Hurley Hall and all the rest of us have to do is link arms. Strong women do NOT diss and attack strong women. Powerful women DO NOT undermine, gossip about or compete with powerful women. We grab each other by the underwear or bra strap and jerk hard in the one direction we all need to be heading: forward and UP. We love each other hard enough and big enough to call out our collecive bullshit, the lies we tell ourselves about our worthlessness. THAT is love. THAT is power. We expect, demand and applaud rising. Color isn't the determining factor here. Character is. Because color is barely 2mm skin depth and has not a fucking thing to do with our hearts. To the extent I show up for my Sisters, I show up for myself. THAT is what we must do. The rest is petty, low life bullshit, and all that shit proves is how willingly we allow ourselves to be manipulated by men. I love men, but they are not the center of my world. They aren't the community builders, for the most part, women are- but not the women who allow themselves to be jerked around like Mario Puzo's godfather.

Excellent piece, Devon.