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Finding Your Inner Radish
Uncovering the activist within
This article appeared in a zine I made for Pride Week 2002, called Bi Dyke.
The word radical comes from the Latin word radix, which means "root." I know this because I'm a theology student who studies dead languages. If you were a citizen of ancient Rome the word radix would not refer to just any root, but to the noble radish. Why is this important to bi activism? I suggest that the qualities of the radish have a parallel with bi activism. I'll name three main similarities, but I'm sure there are others.
- Radishes are underground.
Like the work that goes into a protest or a social event, much of the solid material is not visible. All you see is the fluffy leafy bit that sticks out of the dirt. It's the big fat radish underneath that provides stability and nutrients to the visible leaves. Our underground quality can be a good thing. The behind-the-scenes work of activism can be done by women at any stage of the coming-out process. The down side is that you may feel your support work is unappreciated - Radishes are hot.
This holds true in two ways. The first is in the colloquial sense, which we use when we say "she's hot!" Bi women activists are sexy. Just check out the pictures from www.biwot.org . And it's not limited to us. The Pussy Palace Committee, Toronto Dyke March and Take Back The Night all have totally sexy women. It's their confidence, their teamwork, and that sweaty glow after a long day volunteering.
The second way that activism is like the hot radish is that it burns. If you eat enough radishes (trust me, I've done this) your mouth will begin to burn and itch. How is this at all like activism? Well, activism isn't easy. It's not always fun to be training or meeting when you'd rather be watching hockey or renting Better Than Chocolate. As they say in the gym (or so I'm told), "feel the burn." - The radish feeds on its environment.
We cannot be activists in isolation from our sources of emotional and physical nourishment. We need communities, friends, partners, and fellow activists. And a radish, like an activist, can find value in the piles of bullshit heaped upon it.
So nurture your inner radish. And when you see a bit of leafy green poking its way out of the soil, remember the big tough root that pushed it there.
