The Cactus

by Sarah Haywood

Ambiguity, at best, leads to misunderstanding and embarrassment; at worst, it gives others the opportunity to take advantage of any vulnerability they sense on your part.

What it boils down to is knowing that women are equal to men, and living that knowledge. It’s about ensuring that equality is recognised in the home, in the workplace, in public life. And it’s about acknowledging that we all – women and men – are strong sometimes, weak sometimes; cool-headed sometimes, emotional sometimes; right sometimes, wrong sometimes. Locking away your feelings and vulnerabilities has got nothing at all to do with it. That’s something else entirely.’

Whenever you open yourself up to another person, same sex or opposite, you take the risk of being hurt. That’s a simple reality of life.’

But these days fairy-tale endings come in all shapes and sizes. It’s okay for the princess to end up with the prince, it’s okay for her to end up with the footman, and it’s also okay for her to end up on her own. It’s okay for her to end up with another princess, or with six cats, or to decide she wants to be a prince. None of those make her any more or less a feminist. It’s about finding out who you are and what you want, and then being true to it.’

‘Seems we remember things differently yet again. But truth is subjective; everyone has their own versions. Maybe both of ours are equally valid.’