"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Thursday



Women's Lib -

Well, I sort of do believe in women's lib. I'm not a 'heavy duty' women's libber, but I am for women to have rights. Of course voting is a given. The right to stay home or work. The right to serve in the armed forces. Equal pay for equal work.

I'm not a dead serious one that will attend protests or things like that, but I think and see if you can follow me here - that sometimes there has to be a person or two that is willing to stand out and make a scene, so the rules can be changed.

One of those I'm not, but I'd help in the background. I'm a light weight women's libber. At least I enjoy some of the benefits of it.

I am against abortion personally, but this is what I think - Why does it have to be legal or illegal via governmental laws? It is a person's decision. How can we judge that - we don't know the whole story. I'm not a judge nor do I want to be. I'll do what is right for me and what I believe in - and other's should have that same right too.

I like some things in women's lib, but not all the things.

I'm also a child advocate.

I think if you look at people who are advocates - a lot of time their passion comes from a source. I worked with special needs kids for years, my daughter does too, and we have some in our own family. Mix that with my personality and you have a staunch fighter for kids rights.

Now women's rights - why do I fight for them? I've mentioned it before and I'll say it quickly. My childhood was less then perfect. Back then there were no rights or places for a child to go like now, or a women!

If women brought charges against their husbands - the judges looked at them as their husbands property. They believed that men owned them and a whack or two wasn't bad in the whole scheme of things.

So what choice did the women have but to stay and be abused? And what about kids rights - their being abused? It wasn't until women's lib came a long and we got some women judges in there that said, "No this is not okay!" No one deserves abuse.

Enough about my soapbox. This is just my opinion. What do you think about women's liberation?



Happy birthday to Gloria Steinem - women's libber - Wikipedia

Steinem was born in Toledo, Ohio, on March 25, 1934. Her mother, Ruth, was of part German descent. Her Jewish father, Leo Steinem, was a traveling antiques dealer (with trailer and family in tow) and the son of immigrants from Germany and Poland. The family split in 1944, when he went to California to find work while Gloria lived with her mother in Toledo.

Years later, Steinem described her relationship to her mother as pivotal to understanding of social injustices. At 34, Ruth Steinem had a "nervous breakdown" that left her an invalid, trapped in delusional fantasies that occasionally turned violent. She changed "from an energetic, fun-loving, book-loving" woman into "someone who was afraid to be alone, who could not hang on to reality long enough to hold a job, and who could rarely concentrate long enough to read a book." Ruth spent months in and out of sanatoriums for the mentally disabled. Before her illness, Ruth had graduated with honors from Oberlin College, worked her way up to newspaper editor, and even taught a year of calculus at the college level.

While her parents did divorce as a result of her mother's illness, it was not a result of chauvinism on the father's part and Gloria "understood and never blamed him for the breakup." The subsequent apathy of doctors, along with the social punishments for career-driven women, convinced Steinem women badly needed social and political equality.



Just thinking today. What is your opinion?

15 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Great post!! I am always trying to be a liberated woman. Meaning I have rights and I believe in equality. A Child advocate is one of the strongest callings in the world!! I believe in a woman's right to an abortion and don't think men have the right to decide on such a personal choice. I haven't marched or burned my bra, lol, but I would do what I could to support women's rights! Happy Birthday Gloria!

Unknown said...

glad i don't have to wear dresses- yeah! i was raised by 2 parents that worked, which was kinda rare 50 years ago. don't believe in abortion except for certain reasons. i wish more would turn to adoption. i've always made my boys do their own laundry, don't stick me in the laundry room everyday or the kitchen. yeah for the you, for being a child advocate- lucky kids! lucky for us, for getting to read your fun blog! Thanks for both

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Chatty -- a brave post. I couldn't have been a bra-burner (not that anyone would have noticed really ;>) -- but I am glad other women did it for us!

And I totally totally agree with you -- I really believe: "leave politics out of women't bodies." It is an individual decision (my individual belief is the same as yours, but I don't feel that I"m qualified to tell another person what they should or should not do to their own bodies!). Good for you.

ClassyChassy said...

Lots of good things to think about today, Sandie!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Also: there have been some truly vicious anti-abortion demonstrations here in Ft Myers recently and I am left wondering why those people don't put some of their energy into advocating for children who are already here (say for instance children who are suffering from the effects of poor or no parenting).
But I don't think those protestors really care at all about children -- they just care about their own power.

Susan said...

Hi Sandy. Good job on today's post! I am a moderate women's libber. Domestic violence, crooked non-profits "serving" poor people, and apathy anywhere all make me sick. I'm a very strong child advocate and have survived some rough waters because, trust me, sometimes advocates are NOT liked and NOT wanted. So there has been quite a bit of heel digging on my part but I've survived. Personally, I'm opposed to abortion and will say so. So, that's it in a nutshell. We need the Gloria S's of the world! Sincerely, Susan

Angela said...

Hey Sandie!

You just made me think of the time we lived in Maryland and the bank that we had our money at would make me jump through hoops to withdraw a few dollars from our JOINT checking account. In their eyes the account belonged to my HUSBAND and no me. I showed them otherwise! I went inside and closed out the account! Made them give me cash! lol This was in 1993 I believe.

Now, let's take a look at the year 2010. We have a JOINT account in a credit union. I went there to open up a cd and they wouldn't let me because my HUSBAND is the one who owns the account! I had to open up my own savings account with $20 in order to do a cd of my own! Needless to say I was upset. I didn't close out my account with them but it does blow my mind that in 2010 I don't have the same rights as my HUSBAND concerning our bank accounts!

Hugs,
Angela

Mollye said...

I hear you sister. All we ever wanted was to be treated as well as our male counterparts in the workforce and at home! We are NOT second class citizens and I also thank all the brave women and some men too who changed the laws of today. Ironically Mike and I just finished watching North Country with Charlize Theron and Sissy Spacek. I loved it. It is a couple years old. If you haven't seen it, rent it! So no I never really thought of myself as a staunch womens libber but more of a "human rights libber". Abuse happens on both ends of the stick sometimes. Hugs friendgirl, XXMollye

Cheri said...

Sandie,

I got to Starbucks in the last hour to get a cinnamon roll (didn't really need that) and my cafe mocha. Sorry I didn't get it posted the night before, I forgot until the next morning. I'll try to be better next time so you can get in on it.

Joyce said...

Guess I consider myself a womans libber too. Glad you enjoyed the luncheon and my post. I love any and all outings that involve food. I am looking forward to the tea room in Woodstock and I hope MapQuest gives me good directions and no dead ends:)
Joyce

Whosyergurl said...

Sandie,
I LOVE hearing YOUR voice! Wonderful! I am a mega women's libber...after being single for mega years...I never had anyone look at me and say "oh, you are head of household so we will start you at xxx" like they would a man.
I kind of agree w/you on abortion. I could NEVER get an abortion but I am a Pro-Choice person (recently had a hateful person call me pro-death on facebook) because I don't want anyone to die in some back room abortion and it IS a private choice of what we do with OUR bodies! The only person who MIGHT have a say so is the child's father.
And children? yes. they are just innocent victims.
I was so fortunate to hear Gloria speak at Ball State University some years back...thrilling!
Hug you,
Cheryl

Carol............. said...

I'm with you all the way on this one!!!!!!!!!! Super post!

betty said...

I believe everyone should be treated fairly. I believe a woman with exactly the same education and experience should be paid the same as a man. I agree with you about child advocates, we need to watch out for the little ones who are sooooo defenseless the majority of times

I truly believe abortion is wrong in 99.9% of the time, but having never been pregnant and would have welcomed a pregnancy at any time, I'm sure there are those situations where people think it is the best option for them. I know there is lots of pain with some that have had abortions years after the fact

betty

Mimi said...

Hi Sandie!!!!
I agree with you on some of those things, especially rights of MOST things, NO women should take any kind of abuse, ever, period, not from work her husband a friend, or what ever, abuse in any form is wrong.
Children should be protected at all costs!!!!
Abortion --I am TOTALLY against, and I am for a Law to Protect the unborn as they have no say here,but I understand we all have a right to believe as we want.
I for one, say let the baby get adopted, I know Rape and incest, well statistically it is less then 1% of women get pregnant from those incidents, but in those cases I am for the right to choose.
No one can take that away from you.
BUt I am glad women do have many rights we did not have 30 years back.
Have a great week end
it is suppose to start HEATING up real fast, lower 80's!!!!
WOW
hugs,
jamie

Anonymous said...

My sister lives in Indiana and had a Down syndrome child who passed away at age 3. She has spent the last 17 years working with both adults/children with special needs. http://lilyvalley-karen.blogspot.com
I believe in equality but am the quiet, stand in the background type! I am thankful for those who have fought so hard for equality.