Affirm Yourself

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“And Ain’t I a woman?”- Sojourner Truth

“And ain’t I a woman?” - perhaps the greatest refrain to a public speech in America history delivered by Sojourner  shows us how to affirm ourselves. 

Truth lived reality of double discrimination being both Black and a woman. She gave her speech in the immediate response to a man who argued that women didn’t deserve equal rights because they were delicate and needed special care. 

At that point Truth stood up and gave her blistering response. She described how she had done everything that society expected of a woman in birthing and raising kids under the slave master’s lash. And she had cried a mother’s tears as well. 

She also pointed out that she had received none of these special privileges that women allegedly required. Further, she described how she worked as hard and as effectively as any man anywhere. (Even ate as much if she could get it.)

To a society that  failed to recognize her humanity or womanhood, Truth affirmed herself. We cannot always wait for external validation. Sometimes we have to affirm ourselves.

I’m Horace McMillon. This has been “60 Seconds of Hope”. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope 

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