"I have never liked bullies of any kind," P!nk explains in a statement accompanying her first contribution to the One Billion Rising For Justice campaign. "Whether it’s someone picking on the 'fat' kid, the 'retarded' kid, the 'short' kid, the 'black' kid, the 'Asian' kid, the 'gay' kid, the 'girl,' cause she 'hits like a girl' or is the 'weaker sex'…You name it. Different 'reasons,' same 'bully.'"
P!nk, the mainstay pop goddess, has lent her celebrity to a great cause. For her kickoff effort, P!nk joined a throng of participants to perform a choreographed dance to the organization's catchy (albeit cheesy) theme song. "When I read about this organization, how people get together of their own free will and dance, use their bodies, to express their rage — outrage — around the injustice that women feel all over the world, every day — I was inspired," she explained.
Her exploration of the rage women often feel is a refreshing approach to the topic of domestic violence. The Gloss' Julia Sonenshein hit the nail on the head, writing: "When we talk about women’s personal space being invaded, we don’t always mention the rage that it evokes — more often the focus is fear." P!nk is all about fearlessness. Her stance on the other emotion that Sonenshein refers to as a "blinding rage" is important and necessary for the cause One Billion Rising For Justice is fighting for. How effective a dance video can be to galvanize folks, however, remains to be seen. Yes, it's vital for the idea to continue filtering through the ether, but a call to action should follow. But, one step at a time, eh? P!nk's use of her platform is inspiring, and will likely encourage more women to speak up. Perhaps one billion voices mouthing off will snowball into one billion pairs of hands being put to use for a common, aspirational goal. (The Gloss)