Let me say this, loud and clear, COY JONES IS THE BEST KIND OF FEMINIST.

“Do you want me to drive you to the market?” he asked.
“I can drive the van!”
“I know you can, but if I drive you can keep working on those labels on the way.”
“…good point. Thanks Coy”

Coy knows I can drive the enormous sprinter van. He knows I have a lot of work to do. Like, never ending work to do. So he offers to help. I’m no damsel. We are equals.

Coy Jones is the best kind of feminist.

Coy is one of the kindest people I have ever encountered. He isn’t fussy. He isn’t pretentious. He just opens the door. Or helps you carry the heavy load. He says please and thank you. He remembers how you take your coffee in the morning. He will sharpen your knife for you (in the weird world we live in, we carry knives for our job.) He always has a pen. He sends his emails on time.

Coy Jones is the best kind of feminist. 

Speaking of emails, yesterday Coy couldn’t figure out how to send an email. He asked our coworker Hailey, then he asked me. We fiddled around on the computer until we got the email to work for him. And we teased him when he thought it was any different than exactly how he sent an email the day before. He asked Hailey for help. He asked me for help.

Coy Jones is the best kind of feminist. 

Coy and I have the same Carhartt jacket (granted mine is probably a few sizes smaller). He loves that we have matching jackets. I earned that jacket getting snowed in in Wyoming with a friend last May (with a 65 point pit bull along for the ride). We also have matching tactical boots and pocket knives. We may have the same multi-tool.

Coy Jones is the best kind of feminist. 

Coy is one of my favorite people on earth. You see, we work in animal welfare. It is messy, complicated, awful, draining, frustrating, and difficult. It is also beautiful, rewarding, magical, exceptional. We are all in this together. We are a family. Coy is my family.

This afternoon I am going to ask Coy to teach me to drive the forklift, and I’m pretty sure I know what his answer will be. Thanks for being the best kind of feminist.

Ladies and gentlemen, Coy Jones