Healing In Community: The Politics Of Survivor Care
Healing Happens in Community
you deserve to heal
i want to start this post with an affirmation.
the simple statement that you deserve to heal.
that you deserve the care, support, & resources you need to not just survive but THRIVE.
that you deserve a supportive, caring, & loving community.
that you are worthy of friendships where you are not only believed but hyped up, cared for, & affirmed.
& finally, that you deserve to feel safe & supported.
healing happens in community
healing happens in the context of our community. how our community responds - or refuses to respond - to our experiences can make or break the foundation for healing to happen. when we are held with care by our community, when we are believed, when we are offered the support we need; when we are able to feel connected to & safe with our community, there is a foundation for healing to happen. something to ground you to this world & remind you you are a part of it & not alone in this.
unfortunately, many of us don't have this experience within our communities. we aren't believed or are questioned + interrogated about the details of our trauma. our community ignores what happened & “friends” refuse to “pick a side” (by default, siding with rape culture.) we are isolated, excluded, & often, pushed out + isolated.
access to resources is life-saving
community connects us not only with other people but with access to resources like information, knowledge, $$$, collective care, & spaces that are supportive. our ability to access these supports is vital; it can be the difference between life & death.
direct financial solidarity & mutual aid to survivors does more for us than nonprofits & organizations will ever do.
f*ck gatekeeping
i want to say F*CK YOU to folks, including other survivors, who participate in gatekeeping survivors because you don't like us or whatever. i don't care about your petty popularity contest; social capital shouldn't factor into whether or not we deserve to heal or whether or not you believe us or whether or not we can access the resources we need.
our collective healing, showing up for survivors, & ending rape culture is more important than anyone’s personal vendetta.
all of us deserve to THRIVE
we deserve more than survival; we deserve to THRIVE as a collective & community, each & every one of us.
being a survivor takes a constant toll on you: emotionally, financially, & physically. existing is exhausting & finding ways to move beyond survival mode can feel impossible.
$how up for survivors beyond us barely making rent. help us add some much-needed pleasure & joy to our lives, whether that's by sending us something from our wishlist, $5 via venmo with a note encouraging us to spend it on whatever would spark joy for us, &/or collaborating with us to create a mutual aid offer for us to raise funds for both surviving & THRIVING.
