The “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood (19XX?), portrays a fractured United States, where a new republic called Gilead has replaced many states with a totalitarian government based on Christian nationalism. In Gilead, women are thoroughly subservient, Within this structure, a “Handmaids” only purpose is procreate.
In Gilead, every aspect of life is controlled by the government, including education, information, money etc. and Handmaids live in fear of torture and death. Liberty and freedom are replaced with compliance maintained through fear and intimidation by use of a government-sanctioned armed militia of ‘Eyes’ that enforce the rule of this dystopian society. The main character leads enslaved people to safety in Canada by coordinating a quiet but effective resistance effort in Gilead, with the help of the May Day movement in states that still maintained their democracy. The Handmaid’s Tale was made into an award-winning TV Series that exposes the parallels of our current political and policing environment.
We claim the Handmaid cloak as a modern symbol of resistance. Our uniformity sends a message of solidarity and anonymity – a reminder that we the people are the true power. We send forth the message that we refuse to accept a fascist America.
