(Nimue)
Piracy may seem like an odd topic for a Druid post, but stick with me here… Pirate Mary Reed has a fascinating history, including a lot of gender complexity. The story goes that she made a pro-hanging speech at her trail. I've tried to track down the text, but the internet is a bit shit these days and I've not managed to find it.
According to the story, Mary Read spoke in favour of hanging at her own trial for piracy on the grounds that if piracy went unpunished, good men would starve and she was not ok with that. Found guilty, she died of fever in prison before anyone managed to hang her.
I'm not in favour of the death penalty, but this story is one that I find resonant. It's about standing up for what you think is right even when that's not even slightly in your interests. It's also about doing so with style, boldness and flair, which I admire.
Quite some years ago at an event, I was faced with an accusation of bullying – there's a long and complex back story here. I was absolutely guilty of being inconvenient to the person who made the accusation, and the basis of the bullying accusation was that I'd sent them a review book they did not like. The people running the event did not seem – to my mind – to be taking it seriously or dealing with it appropriately.
Which is how I ended up saying a lot of things about the importance of listening to victims and taking bullying accusations seriously. Because I believe that, and I stand by that belief even when I'm the person facing the accusations. My accuser went on to try and get me fired from my day job. Here I am talking about it again, conscious that this was not a moment of glory for me, and that there are still people who may well think I'm awful because of what happened. Sometimes you have to say things because they need talking about and there's something to be said for not trying to look perfect all the time. I certainly acted in a way someone else found problematic. Whether the accusation of bullying was a fair response to that is a whole other question.
Often it makes more sense – in terms of personal gain – to go along with things and not make a fuss. Having values that you are dedicated to doesn't always fit nicely with this. I don't tend to go along with things that I see as problematic. I take issue. I speak up. It's not always gone well for me, but I do not regret my choices.
I'm no sort of pirate, I can't imagine I'd ever be in a situation where I'd be telling a court why they ought to lock me up, much less hang me. Even so, I do take inspiration from Mary Reed's outrageous choice, and the sheer bonkersness of what she did. It's brave, and wild, and powerful stuff. I think of her, every time I step up to say something because it needs saying, but is not going to put me in a good position.
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