In Her Words: Janet Mock
The groundbreaking activist, writer, and producer urges us to trust ourselves and discover our truth.
Dear you,
I write today to tell you that you are RIGHT! I write to tell you that you know, that you have the correct answers, that you have the damn solution. Yeah, I get it. Everyone around you tells you that you are too young to know, that you have not experienced enough “life” yet. Fuck that noise — that’s just ageism masked in “concern” and parental/adult “guidance.”
You don’t need a guide. You are the guide.
You don’t need a hero. You are the hero.
You don’t need permission. This is your life.
When I was younger, I spent so much time not only fighting my own fears but also fighting the fears of others. They’d look at me and tell me that I should wait, that this was just a phase, that maybe I’d change my mind. Listening to their “concerns” only cluttered my mind, messed with my certainty. I wish I had known that I was right, that I had the answers, that I knew.
I write today to tell you that you know the truth, that your life is yours, that you should be bold and afraid, that mistakes will be made, that you will learn, that it will hurt, that someone will love you, that you will laugh… that this life… that this all will pass… that you got this!
In love + power,
Janet Mock
