This is currently also explained in a highlight on our Instagram.
Following International Women’s Day 2021 and a long-term discourse of the use of the word “womxn,” we decided to poll our community on Instagram to learn if folks thought we should keep or drop the “x” spelling. The options were “Keep - I feel seen” or “Drop - not inclusive”; the results were overwhelming for “Drop - not inclusive” so we did so! We aim to be more clear and thus inclusive in not only our language but our actions. To read about how the x spelling can be harmful to trans and non-binary femmes, we point you to the words of Alexandra Chandra (she/they) here. More resources and information on our Instagram highlight.
Join the conversation on our instagram here.
Dear Strength of the Tides community,
Strength of the Tides is a community organization led by a late-20s, white, cis woman. That’s me; and I want to share a few things before we continue to post #hersalso features each week. I feel the need to change Strength of the Tides in an effort to reflect the world I want to live in, rather than continue to reflect the world into which Strength of the Tides was born. If it’s not already clear, Strength of the Tides is a feminist organization that is committed to Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty as well as working to end patriarchy. I understand these to be all intertwined and reliant on the success of the other. No lives matter until Black lives matter. Colonization is a destructive tool used to uphold patriarchal white supremacy. I am still learning, and I feel as though we have failed to make these intentions clear thus far. The “we” named here has been and will continue to be YOU; if Strength of the Tides speaks to you, it is for you. Here are some steps we are taking moving forward.
We will do better in our outreach and research to seek out the stories and voices of those who have been historically excluded and marginalized. This is largely on me, but I encourage our community to participate by nominating individuals for #hersalso features.
We will host an educational event where, together, we can learn about racism and whiteness at sea and what actions we can take in solidarity with the movement when we can gather in-person again - hopefully in early 2021. I imagine this to be a Teach-In. Ideas welcome!
We will dedicate one of our community gathering events each year to topics such as the aforementioned, directly exploring ideas of justice on the water.
Together, in community, Strength of the Tides will donate a minimum of $100 each to the BIPOC-led organizations, specifically @seedingsovereignty, a collective of Indigenous folx growing radical change, and @theokraproject, which seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people. More info on each below.
We will include image descriptions and native land tags in our captions from now on.
We are examining the language of our mission, as explained below.
Since our beginning in 2017, the mission at Strength of the Tides has been “to support celebrate, and empower womxn who work on the water.” It has become increasingly clear that Strength of the Tides needs — and wants — to include our trans, gender non-conforming, gender queer, two spirit, and nonbinary peers on the water in the community we are trying to build. Additionally, the word “work” — and the idea that we are here only for people who *work* on the water — upholds the capitalist system acting as a barrier to Black liberation, Indigenous sovereignty, and the end to the patriarchy. Moving forward, we will aim “to support, celebrate, and empower all womxn, trans, and gender queer people on the water.”
As a celebration of these renewed intentions, I am excited to finally have these new stickers available (swipe!): The Strength of the Tides is Theirs Also. Payment is NOT required, if you are able to offer a donation with your sticker, all sticker proceeds will go to @seedingsovereignty. I will be matching up to $200 and donating my portion to @theokraproject. Send us a DM with your mailing address, how many stickers you want, white background or transparent background, and a screenshot with the amount you donate.
@seedingsovereignty “works on behalf of our global community to shift social and environmental paradigms by dismantling colonial institutions and replacing them with Indigenous practices created in synchronicity with the land.”
@theokraproject is “a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culture specific meals and resources to Black Trans People whenever we can reach them.”
The Strength of the Tides pledge asks the signatories to promise to practice zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence. Building community, respect and inclusivity on and off the water is a work in progress for all of us, let us continue to work towards it in the places and industries we call home.
I am available to discuss our evolving mission and invite you to reach out below or at strengthofthetides@gmail.com. Happy Pride! Thanks to all of you participating in the movement for Black lives. Thanks to all the people who make this thing a community.
Love, Elma