Message from Maurrie
June 22, 2020
I’ve been sitting here thinking about all the strife and uncertainty in these times we are currently living through. It came to me while on a Sister trip in New Mexico how dramatically the Coronavirus, our inability to go about our lives as we have in the past, and the current political unrest we see has been spreading across our beautiful country. I spent some time revisiting the initial creation of SOTF and how happy we were to be in one another’s company, sharing adventures and each others’ life experiences. SOTF has been proud of the growth of our organization and the acceptance and collegiality of our members. It is an organization like no other.
However, and this saddens me to say, the racial and political uneasiness has caused many to forget about how important it is for us to always remember we are equal in this land. We’ve all seen inappropriate memes, cartoons, Facebook posts, and photographs that represent what can be considered mean-spirited and hateful even though that may not have been the intent of the poster. We have always encouraged inclusion of all women, regardless of race, sexual orientation, religious belief, age or political party, and been proud of that. It is especially important in this time of uncertainty to be cognizant of how our actions may impact others. There are many who won’t respond when hurt, enraged or confused by posts of this nature, but they may not continue to remain members, feeling this isn’t a safe place for them, or they may choose to share their opinion that Sisters on the Fly is not good for all women. We became the largest women’s outdoor adventure group through inclusion, understanding, love and representing the place for more fun than one can imagine. This must continue to stand!
We want our members to come to our events, visit our website and our Facebook pages to find fun, friends, fabulous events and advice on how to achieve those experiences in their lives. They do not visit those places to be met with confusion about why those types of posts appear on our social media sites. It is important for me to share how I want the places that represent Sisters on the Fly to be free of the controversy those types of communication create.
It is not our intention to dictate how you live your life or what you believe or stand for; however, we do intend to keep our social media places free of hurtful messages, racial representations of others, political, sexual orientation or religious divisiveness. There is no place in SOTF for separation of our members on those topics. In the words of an old adage, “One for all and all for one.” So, going forward, please understand that any such posts that appear on our public or shared SOTF Facebook pages will be removed. What you share on your personal pages is just that, personal, and not the business of SOTF. It hurts me to have to say this, but I feel I must to protect what was created to foster and lift up women.
It is not our place or position to regulate your freedom of speech, but it is our intent to keep our space a place of inclusion, understanding, helpfulness and love for all seeking a safe place to share experiences with other women.