Professionalism does not equal silence

 Hello Blog-o-sphere! It's me, Liadin, your humble blog servant. 

What is professionalism? Growing up in and out of performing arts environments as an actor I feel like something often preached to me was how to act like a professional. When I would get dropped off at rehearsals my mother would always tell me, "remember liadin, be professional and they'll want to work with you again". Even in rehearsals, the children were yelled at when acting "unprofessional". For a word tossed around so frequently I feel like it was never defined for me. As if it was something I was supposed to know. 

I associated professionalism with silence, I was quiet when the director or the other adults were talking. Making myself smaller to fit where they would eventually (hopefully) need me. I was praised for my silence, what a professional standing so still and quiet at seven years old. The thing with silence is if you let yourself remain quiet for too long you may forget you have a voice at all. 

Why is it that when something happens in a rehearsal that makes me uncomfortable I am afraid to complain and be called "unprofessional". Does professionalism equal quiet compliance? Will I be shamed by my peers for my loud disapproval of things that make me uncomfortable? Moreover, why are we so scared to share what makes us uncomfortable? The workplace we create is entirely up to us, so why do we keep silent in unsafe circumstances? To keep those who make us uncomfortable in power? If I can't state how I feel without being deemed dramatic or unprofessional in a rehearsal, what am I allowed to say? 

If we listen to those in power blindly without confronting their actions we will continue with the cycle of hierarchy that creates an oppressive rehearsal space. 

DO. NOT. BE. SILENT. BE LOUD. 

DO NOT MAKE YOURSELF SMALL.