In a galaxy far, far away...

 We are the spark that will light the fire that'll burn the First Order down.

-Poe Dameron, The Last Jedi

I started working on this blog post before seeing Star Wars: The Last Jedi (which I will refer to as TLJ for the remainder of this post). I was sitting in a Barnes & Noble cafe, waiting for my dad and brother to arrive so we could see the movie. It also happened to be the anniversary of Carrie Fisher's death. I started writing this post, beginning with a few subtle (not really) reminders to people about the year that we are currently living in, and that thankfully, will be over very soon. My dad texted me that they were almost at the theatre, so I closed up my notebook and walked over to meet them. We settled into our seats, ordered beers and popcorn (I love the Alamo Theatre), and settled in for the latest episode of Star Wars.

Seeing Carrie Fisher in her final appearance as General Leia Organa and continuing the journey with Rey made me think very differently about what I wanted to say in my final post of 2017. The additions of Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) and Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) along with the large number of female fighter pilots and Resistance fighters was overwhelming in a way I did not expect. This is not a feminist review of TLJ as I don't review movies, but it's so hard not to look at this movie in particular without seeing the parallels to where we are right now in the world. As I watched these wonderful female characters grapple with their roles in the Star Wars universe (both on screen and in the press because it's Star Wars and literally everyone has an opinion on everything), I went back to the beginning of the year and back further to our suffragist and feminist foremothers. The resistance, whether in reality or in fiction, is female.

We can see this in so many of the groups who have come to make the activist community what it is - Black Lives Matter was founded by three women, the idea of the Women's March started on Facebook by a woman in Hawaii and was brought to life by an amazing group of women from all walks of life, women have been at the heart of the movement at Standing Rock, and women are finding their voices in the #metoo movement. Time even named "the Silence Breakers" their 2017 people of the year. None of this is news for those of us who have been paying attention and know our history. When I marched back in January, I was not there for myself but for the women who came before me and for the women who will come after me. I was there to honor them and continue to the work that will always need to be done.

I've spent most of this year doing things that I never thought I'd ever have to do: calling members of Congress who do not represent me and asking them to not vote for things that violate basic human standards, arguing with people about why electing an alleged pedophile was a bad idea (and I'm not talking about the 45), listening to dudes tell me that lady Ghostbusters and a female Dr. Who "ruined" their childhoods (spare me), sharing stories of workplace harassment because it finally felt like people were listening, and of course, trying to make sense of the dumpster fire that is the Trump administration. This last one is exhausting because there is nothing logical or normal about any of what the 45 and his minions are doing. Every single one of these activities has done exactly what it needed to do for me: strengthened my political beliefs and my feminist identity.

Feminism is a dirty word for a lot of people. I know I will not change some people's opinions about feminism and feminists, but at the end of the day, I can't help stupid. As I wrote in January, "I believe in affordable, accessible healthcare. I believe women have the right to decide what happens with their bodies. I believe abortion should be legal. I believe Planned Parenthood is an essential part of healthcare options, particularly for women in poverty, for things beyond birth control and abortions. I believe women and girls should not have to fear reporting rape or abuse. I believe men play an important role in feminism. I want the women and girls in my life to know that they can do anything they want. I believe women's rights are human rights. That is why I marched yesterday."

This is feminism for me. It is the belief that women's rights are human rights. That's it; I don't hate men (I rather like most of you and downright love some of you). It's not that men have to lose anything because women are able to access affordable healthcare that is in their best interest, not in the interest of old white dudes who probably haven't seen a vagina in decades, let alone know how one actually works or receive equal pay or not have to walk down the street, fearing the worst. I was pleased to see Merriam-Webster name feminism its word of the year. The designation was based on the frequency of searches as well as the word's place in the larger cultural fabric of the world. I highly recommend following their Twitter account; watching a dictionary troll the President is really satisfying.

Which brings me back to TLJ. Carrie Fisher, our rebel princess and general, was a feminist icon beyond the role of Leia. Leia was not necessarily written as such, but that's what she became. The "boys' fantasy" as she has often been called, came to represent much more to women and girls who watched these movies looking for heroes of their own. Yes, I had a huge crush on both Han Solo and Luke Skywalker (at different stages of my life - Luke is a boy band, Han is a rock band), but Leia was always the reason I returned to these movies over and over again. Seeing Leia as General Organa in episodes VII and VIII, made me even happier. She commanded the Resistance with grace, strength, and wisdom. As I watched TLJ, I thought about this and wondered about all those fanboys and whether Leia ever meant more for them than a hot chick in a gold bikini (which she hated, by the way). I came to the conclusion, by the end of the movie, that some of them became feminists because of Leia even if they don't identify themselves as such. Others will always be those dudes online who can't deal with her or Rey or Holdo. They'll always be there fixating and being derisive because they feel threatened. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to come around; I have more important things to do.

General Leia will always be more than a hot chick in a gold bikini; she is our princess, our general, and our hero. I know I won't get to see her in the next movie, but I can always go back to see her again when I need a reminder about being a badass. I like to think I was channeling her as a "bossy" flower girl (left) and as a marcher (right).

I'm looking forward to 2018. I look forward to continuing the fight and doing what needs to be done so that this country doesn't continue to burn in the dumpster fire that 2017 has been. One of my favorite quotes in TLJ was from Rose, "We're going to win this war not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love." That is how I intend to live 2018 - focusing on saving what I love.

Happy New Year from the Island! 

If you are going out this weekend to celebrate the end of 2017, please do so responsibly. I'd like you to be around to enjoy 2018 with me.