Our Safety Isn’t a Punchline: Standing Strong Against Ridicule

Women’s safety isn’t a joke. Ain't a damn thing "funny" about it.Yet, whenever we gather the courage to openly discuss our unique safety chall

Women’s safety isn’t a joke. Ain’t a damn thing “funny” about it.

Yet, whenever we gather the courage to openly discuss our unique safety challenges, there are those who respond not with empathy or compassion, but with ridicule and mockery. Unfortunately, it’s not only some men who react dismissively, but also certain women who echo and amplify these harmful attitudes.

I want to affirm right now, clearly and compassionately, that your concerns are valid. Your experiences, your instincts, and your boundaries are all sacred territory. No one has the right to minimize or demean them.

The unfortunate reality is that women’s lived experiences have always been met with doubt, ridicule, or even outright denial. This dynamic silences us and makes it harder to speak out, harder to assert our rights, and harder to create safer spaces for ourselves and our daughters.

Let’s remember that mockery and ridicule are powerful tools used to keep women quiet, compliant, and unsure of their own perceptions. This isn’t accidental. It’s an intentional strategy that has been effective for generations, but it doesn’t have to be anymore.

Here’s the truth:

Your safety is never trivial. Your peace of mind matters. Your comfort matters. Your voice matters. Your boundaries matter.

When you speak about safety, you’re not asking for special treatment. You’re claiming your right to dignity, respect, and autonomy. And that’s powerful.

Throughout history, countless women have faced ridicule and dismissal when advocating for their safety, dignity, and rights:

Ida B. Wells – Courageously fought against lynching despite threats and mockery, ultimately advancing the cause for civil rights and racial justice.
Sojourner Truth – Boldly spoke out against slavery and for women’s rights, overcoming ridicule to deliver her iconic “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.
Harriet Tubman – Ridiculed and dismissed yet bravely led countless enslaved individuals to freedom.
Recy Taylor – Faced ridicule and threats after courageously reporting her assault, sparking a significant movement for justice.
Rosa Ingram – Faced ridicule and hostility for defending herself and her family, highlighting racial and gender injustices in America.
Gloria Richardson – A powerful leader within the Civil Rights Movement, often silenced even by allies, yet she remained steadfast and influential in advocating for equality.
Fannie Lou Hamer – Endured ridicule, threats, and violence while passionately advocating for voting rights and civil rights, becoming a voice for the marginalized.
Joan Little – Ridiculed and prosecuted after defending herself against assault; her acquittal became a landmark victory affirming women’s rights to self-defense.
Jo Ann Robinson – Played a critical role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott despite facing ridicule and threats, significantly advancing the fight for civil rights.
Tina Turner– Not only survived a hellacious domestic violence relationship, wrote a memoir about it, and had Angela Bassett herself brilliantly play her in a film. Men (and some women) will still put on a wig to mock her and laugh at her pain. Like it is funny. She never stopped rising to legendary status but all those jokes hurt. In her last years, she still suffered from the pain of the violence, abuse, mocking, and ridiculing.

Ain’t a damn thing funny about women’s safety.

I encourage every woman reading this to stand firm in your right to feel safe and to demand respect for your experiences. When others laugh, diminish, or belittle you, remind yourself—they do so because your empowerment is a threat to the comfort they’ve found in silence and compliance.

Together, we can shift the conversation. Together, we affirm our needs without apology. Together, we support one another, believing and uplifting our sisters’ truths.

Because our safety is non-negotiable, and our voices will not be silenced.