It is so easy to forget where you came from in the day to day ordinariness of life, you forget. But not this week, no not this week. And believe it or not I’m not talking about the inauguration, exactly… I’m talking about young people who don’t know what they don’t know and how that could possibly have happened. Complacency.
When well intended becomes an excuse I have to question just how much well intention is going on and who is allowing it. An email that came across my laptop this week rocketed me to parts unknown. A separate Instagram post did the same but that will need a whole another post. Both of them sent by 30 somethings, both of them reeked of naiveté and a lack of historical reference. You remember historical reference don’t you?
When a woman separates people who are in the same position by gender, having interacted with the man first then letting the others know that she thinks, “This info might be of value to you ladies also” so she’s passing it along I damn near fainted. “You Ladies”???The eerie feeling that comes over you when you know you’ve seen this before is jarring and infuriating. This from a woman who never wasn’t allowed to wear pants to work. Pants to work, yeah that. It’s a real juncture for me because it was in my lifetime.
I am so grateful that I had the presence of mind to direct my rant away from her and check to see if I was overreacting. Am I being an asshole or did this just happen? It happened. Thank you to the two souls that heard me out and let my rant go on until it couldn’t any longer.
Long story short I cooled off enough by the NEXT day to have a kind conversation with her and explain that what she did, no matter how well intended, counteracted everything that old women like me had ever fought for. Seems funny now to be having a conversation about wearing pants to work… I hope she could hear me, I hope she understands, I hope she’s reading all about the Women’s March on Washington.
The one good thing that may come out of a Trump presidency is a resurgence of women uniting in all things female. I am disappointed that I didn’t go to the march and I can’t explain why I didn’t go as I’ve been an advocate for women my whole life. Perhaps I underestimated the power we still have. I’ll figure that out at some point. But I will be in full participation of the 10 Actions/100 Days follow up. Every 10 days we will take action on an issue we care about.
“The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day; a movement is only people moving.” Gloria Steinem
In whatever way you can, I hope that you will revisit an historical timeline of women. What we have today hasn’t always been, what we have tomorrow may be diminished or lost entirely, adopt a beginner’s mind assume you don’t know what you don’t know and seek historical reference. Ask someone about their experience it may surprise you.
The Women’s March was unprecedented in its size, its peaceful intent and execution, it is yet to be seen if it accomplishes what will be necessary for women to maintain and boost their status in this country, particularly during this term of office. To those of you who marched I applaud you and thank you for your magnificent representation of us all. That said, I am cautiously optimistic for the first time in more years than I even realized.
Enjoy some of the pictures of the march courtesy of News and Guts, Dan Rather’s newest venture in reporting.