Today, March 8th, is International Women's Day.
This year's them is: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls.
Why have crimes against half of humanity been swept under the rug as if women don't matter, for so long? Even here, in the USA, the most free country in the world, women still have a difficult time seeking relief and justice from violent partners. It takes a very brave woman to stand up to abuse. I'm not a man-hater, I just hate what some of them do to the mothers, daughters and sisters of the world.:-( It's a crime that they get away with their offenses.
In some countries, IWD is an official holiday, akin to our Mother's Day. I think that's pretty neat. Worldwide, International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8 to inspire and recognize the achievements and progress of women.
Why women, and not men? Why not let them take care of themselves?! Women have been getting the short end of things since we've been on earth--and still are. And why am I so passionate about the status of women in the world? I think it started long ago...
For starters, my mom stayed at home to raise her children, and by the time I came around, I was like an only child as there are some years between me and my siblings. So I got a lot of attention from my mom. And I 've always felt that my older sister looked after me in many ways, always having high expectations for her kid sister. Not that my brother or father didn't, but we're talking about women here. Also, I had lots of aunties. Lots! Lots of aunties who were and are opinionated and stubborn!
I was involved in girls' groups like Brownies, and Job's Daughter's (an affiliation of the Masons). But the experience that cemented my views on women's issues was when I attended and graduated from Mills College, a private women's liberal arts college in Oakland, Calfornia, founded in 1852, that also offers co-ed graduate degrees. I was surrounded by intelligent women from all over the country: how could we not discuss issues that mattered to us, when we weren't writing papers?!
The student body at my alma mater went on strike in 1990, in response to the decision--or tenative decision, by the board of trustees to make Mills go co-ed. They made national news for the duration of their strike! I thought it was pretty exciting! I envied the students striking...I wanted to join them, but I was working while they were on strike. Could I have gotten away with it--w/o my parents finding out? I'm sure they would have called me up to remind me of more pressing matters, such as studying. You go, sisters! Anyhow, with all that pressure, the trustees changed their tune and reaffirmed that Mills would remain an all-women undergraduate institution.:-) I still have my t-shirt: Mills College: Better Dead Than Co-ed...I'm quite proud of it!
Granted, all-female colleges are not for every woman. But it was perfect for me. I was at home, there. Being exposed to so many women from different places in the USA and the world opened my eyes to how other women's lives were, their interests and concerns. Men were just a second thought! That isn't to say that a lot of cute young men suddenly and conveniently appeared on the weekends...but our studies were our number one priority.
After I graduated, I was even more inclined to read about women of influence, women in power--even evil, corrupt ones! I still like to read about them. Women leaders. I think we need more of them! I wouldn't just vote for any woman for the sake of having a woman lead the country, state, or a city, of course--I'd want to know what her platform was, first. Throughout history, there have been many women heroines and rulers, but I never knew of them until the end of high school, and then, mostly after college, when I read on my own. I am quite inspired when I read about women who led their country's people in battle, or ruled otherwise--hundreds or thousands of years ago!:-)
A woman doesn't have to rule a country for me to be inspired to want to do better. The ones we don't hear about or rarely get notice are the community leaders and ones who rise up from unimaginable circumstances and help the people in their village to change their views on certain issues, so that women--and perhaps men as well, are not made to be outcasts for not meeting societal standards.
There's still a long way to go. In some way, I hope to contribute to the progress of womens' status in the world. I don't know how or when, but it's my goal before I leave this earth.
So cheers to all the women of the world! Most especially to my mother, sister, mother in-law, sisters in-law, and all my friends who've been there for me thick and thin.:-))
2 comments:
Love ya sweetie!
You go grrrrrl!!
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