Make Your Own Damn Sandwich: The Future of Feminist Security Studies

I'm tired. It's the end of the semester, what else do you expect?

The future, the future... let's be honest, I don't know what to expect of the future, let alone what I'm going to wear tomorrow, what I'm going to eat for breakfast, or how I'm going to get my eye to stop twitching. It's insane and overwhelming to think that our class and some other people in the world have their eyes open to the many problems that surround us, yet there are still people who believe gay marriage is a sin and people who continue to say some woman deserve to be raped. *facepalm forever*

But despite my tiredness, I remain an optimist. Maybe it's because I'm a reader, but I believe stories are everything. A story can change your mind and show you a perspective you never considered. How do we get these narratives out there and start changing people's minds? There are so many angles to tackle these problems from - education, media, and politics all need major changes. I can't speak for the rest of the world, but Americans definitely seem to have very close-minded, uneducated notions about the world. For a country with so much influence in the global community, maybe we should start focusing our attention inward to fix the many domestic issues we have before we try and "spread democracy" around the world. Furthermore in order to learn about the narratives, of survivors (or anyone else), we have to develop the skills that will allow us to remain "attentive over time"... "The story might evolve, depending on location... as trust and friendship are developed... and as time passes" (Wibben 2011, p. 111). We need to be patient and aware of these changes. Never assume you know anything about someone's story or experience. Perhaps feminism needs to not just be "reaction to dissatisfaction with the way women have fared" but a way of life, a way of thinking that allows us to improve the state of the world (Wibben 2011, p. 111). 

In short, stories matter. I think in order for the future of FSS to be successful, we have to continue sharing/listening/telling these stories. It will be exhausting work... so somebody get me an energy drink!

- Jillian