I Like My Bra!

Now that I've hit a half century in my time here on this wonderful planet, I tend to look back over the years and compare the infamous "then and now" scenarios. This is called reflection and it's a good thing. Frankly, I wish more people would take the time to do it because I believe this is where we find common sense lurking behind the tree or hiding in the bushes. While common sense is becoming harder to find, I'm sure it still exists; it's just that there aren't that many people looking for it of late.

For example, let's take Alice Paul's Equal Rights Amendment. In the late 60s and early 70s when this was being pushed throughout the country, women were publicly standing up and speaking their mind like never before. They got so excited; they were ripping off their bras and waving them in the air as if that somehow added emphasis to their words. I never understood that because I liked my bra.

During these years I was an impressionable young girl, finding my way as most do in their tweens and teens. I didn't even know there a thing called inequality out there. I grew up in a house full of girls so it wasn't prevalent in my life. I never felt lesser than anyone else or that I couldn't be whatever I decided I wanted to be, but evidently, there was that sort of thing going on.

I was exposed to a lot of this when I was a member of the local YWCA. Much of what the "hippies" were doing was being shown to us there through the various programs offered and leaders in charge. Because of my involvement with these programs, I was very much a part of this culture. I joined the cause of equal rights for women and participated in much to advance it in my grand state of Maine.

After all, why shouldn't we get equal pay for the same position or be considered for the same jobs as men. Who cares if it's a woman or a man in the job as long as the job is done well? And, why can't a woman have a career and be a Mom? Who says our life has to be limiting?

God didn't make us unequal; He just assigned one of us with the responsibility in the end and what is wrong with that? There is one that sits at the top of every organization, institution and culture on this planet, so why wouldn't there be one that sits at the top of each family, one that in the end, makes the tough decisions like any CEO or president?

Back to the reason for this blog post. The equal rights for women's movement was all about treating women as equals in pay and position. It was good for a woman to have a career and move up the corporate ladder. Many brave women had the honorable privilege to be first in many areas such as corporate, entrepreneurial and political. These worlds, once dominated by men were being invaded by intelligent women everywhere and because of their courage; women in America today are the freest in the world.

Being a mother and having a full time job was becoming the norm and we applauded those that took this path. I have walked this path, though not very successfully at times and had decided long ago that it was not for me. Working from home is what works best for me and that is where I stand today.

I believe the equal rights movement was good for our country in many ways. A Woman can now make a career choice that's right for her, or she can choose to stay home and raise her children the way she chooses. This is a good thing.

However, I also see the bad side. Case in point, Sarah Palin. Here is a self-made woman who has lived her life on her terms, chose to have a family and be involved in the mud-slinging, dog-eat-dog, wheeling and dealing world of politics. She's basically a good role model for girls and women alike but the side she is not a part of is ripping her to shreds.

I'd like to know where the women are that were so involved in the equal rights movement. Don't they realize that it's in situations like this where they should generally support women and their accomplishments?

Sarah Palin is a product of the equal rights movement! She has made her path just as a man would and unfortunately, she is taking the same crap load that a man would take. This is the bad side of the equal rights movement.

I'm not saying that women shouldn't take the guff like a man because they should. I'm saying that if a women is portraying the ideals of a movement as great as the equal rights movement was, then all women believing in that movement should come to her aid in some general support. Instead we hear women talking trash about this woman!

Let's review - the movement was all about getting women into high places so they could influence the way things are done in this world. Their perspective is different than a man's and was thought to be needed worldwide.

You may not agree with her politics, but she's got courage enough to speak her mind, wing it if necessary on the national stage and take the guff. She's paving the way for some other women to get up there and do what she was not able to do.

There is disagreement among us and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it would be nice if women would remember from where they came and see the difference of where they are, appreciating the fact that a woman stood as a vice presidential candidate for the second time in history and we even had a woman presidential candidate for the very first time.

This is important and deserves the respect of ALL WOMEN in this country. If we could exercise some of that respect while expressing our disagreement it would bring the atmosphere up a few notches. But the women are behaving the worst in this story. They are cutting Mrs. Palin up like she's the devil.

I don't see these women up there on the national stage of politics, taking it on the chin. They're cowards, hiding behind their pens and the comfort of their TV cameras. It's more important that they get to say whatever for the sake of ratings and controversy than measuring the content of what's coming out. Have women dumbed down the journalistic industry? Perhaps it's true.

Let's face it. It takes a special kind of courage to run for ANY office in today's political scene, local or national, male or female. You can expect to be ridiculed and bombarded with crap as if you were back in the schoolyard.

Just who will lead this barrage of mud and cow dung? The media. Instead of an informative role, they've moved firmly to the judgmental role which is ironic to me, because they stand on the side that has scolded the rest that judging is a bad thing. Could they have figured out that we make judgment calls every minute of every day? Well, that topic is for another post.

My point here is that I'm ashamed of the women who held the equal rights amendment in such high regard and yet from their newly polished nails tapping on their keyboard and their plump, red lips come the worst attack of all on this woman who has in my opinion, epitomized what I thought and believed was the goal of this movement.

Either this movement's organizers misrepresented their intent to millions of women in this country, in which case I am pissed, or women in general just don't appreciate what this movement did for us and now take advantage of the norm.

Here's the big question: Was the intent of the Equal Rights movement to get all women into every area of society or was it just to get those women who viewed life in only a particular way into every area of society? If it's the latter, what did we accomplish?

Wasn't our goal to change the way things were done and perceived? Wasn't our goal to bring fresh perspective and assist in bringing about an arena where all ideas where shared and discussed, and where those ideas were assigned equal weight and importance?

Perhaps it's that we aren't taught about this subject enough. Perhaps we have forgotten the road that led us here and if so, it's time for a refresher.

We either applaud women who do great things or we don't. We certainly can't applaud women who do great things in only one segment of ideology because there is more than just one. If we do, we are no better than the good old boys that we fought so hard to pal around with and pass by on the ladder. If we stay here we will have gained no identity of our own, but rather just have duplicated a system that we hated and wanted to change. We will have become "them."

I invite your comments.
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Debi A. Davis, co-author of Train The Transcriber, a General Business Transcriber Training Course written by transcribers, for future transcribers. Learn how to be on top of your game by downloading her popular, free E-series, 21 Transcriber Tips in 21 Days available at => http://www.TrainTheTranscriber.com