How to tell your story as the story of my feminism: notes towards solidarity

There are so many ways we can fall flat on our faces when trying to act in the name of solidarity, no matter how noble our intentions. There are ways our solidarity can painfully bruise those we are trying to support. Lately, when discussing – with my students and colleagues – the ongoing "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests in Iran, Russia's attack on Ukraine, earthquakes in Turkey and Syria or the University and College Union industrial action in the UK, amongst many other pressing issues and crises of our times, 'solidarity' has become a particularly flailing word. A word of futility, of inadequacy, of failure, and often also of manipulation, of self-interest, of dishonesty. The performative gesture of joining in with the chorus "enough is enough" is never enough, is it?