-
It's that time of year again - our ISP is asking for money. If you have some spare change, please click the Donate link... Thanks!
- About Us
- Search
- Need Help?
- Donate
- Login/Register
Latest Entries
Actions Menu
Blog Roll
- 4F Facebook Page
- Turn Up The Night with Kenny Pick
- Stephanie Miller Show
- The Tim Corrimal Show
- The Rachel Maddow Show
- Angry Americans with Paul Rieckhoff
- Thom Hartmann Program
- Turnips! Fans of Turn Up the Night Facebook Page
- Snopes.com
- Factcheck.org
- Official White House Page, if you must.
- The Brad Blog / Green News Report
- The Poorly Written Political Blog (Joe Santorsa)
Don't Assume.
Author: Raine
Date: 09/21/2020 13:16:50
Take nothing for granted. The things so many people fought to gain, the things that seem like simple human rights can be snatched away in a moment.
I grew up in the '80s. I was young and unaware (until my eyes were opened when I started reading Ms. Magazine) that my desire to attend college was not yet truly mainstream. I was told not to have such high expectations. Financial issues were certainly part of the problem, but I soon found out another reason: I was female.
Even under the age of 18 could get birth control, but - like my other female friends - we had to keep it a secret. If word got out, we would be considered a slut. We were expected to get married. By that time we were starting to be 'allowed' to keep our jobs. Having children was dicey -- what mother would still work and leave kids at home? Eventually the children of my generation would become latchkey kids. Women couldn't have their own credit cards. It was nearly impossible to buy property without a husband. People turned blind eyes to domestic violence.
Most important and least taught? I had a right to have an abortion. No one really wanted to educate people about this medical procedure.
Eventually, I learned was that this was not normal to women who were not informed -- but they were accepted practices to this country as a general collective. until they weren't.
So many women should not take the rights fought for by by our grandmothers, mothers and even my contemporaries for granted. We can't. There are forces that want to take the power we have away. I'm not talking solely about women. I am talking about every member of our society who is considered "other" by the white, male-dominated class. I make no apologies if that makes those who read this blog uncomfortable.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a huge part of paving the way. "We take Ginsburg's successes for granted now, but she was the one who brought to the Supreme Court the perspective of women’s rights."
Justice Ginsburg has earned her rest. We haven't. There are still too many people who think that rights are just pieces of a pie. I grew up with the luxury of assuming my rights would always be there -- and years ago I learned how wrong I was. Keep fighting.
Dissent.
and 
Raine
I grew up in the '80s. I was young and unaware (until my eyes were opened when I started reading Ms. Magazine) that my desire to attend college was not yet truly mainstream. I was told not to have such high expectations. Financial issues were certainly part of the problem, but I soon found out another reason: I was female.
Even under the age of 18 could get birth control, but - like my other female friends - we had to keep it a secret. If word got out, we would be considered a slut. We were expected to get married. By that time we were starting to be 'allowed' to keep our jobs. Having children was dicey -- what mother would still work and leave kids at home? Eventually the children of my generation would become latchkey kids. Women couldn't have their own credit cards. It was nearly impossible to buy property without a husband. People turned blind eyes to domestic violence.
Most important and least taught? I had a right to have an abortion. No one really wanted to educate people about this medical procedure.
Eventually, I learned was that this was not normal to women who were not informed -- but they were accepted practices to this country as a general collective. until they weren't.
This movement was initially concentrated in the United States of America and then spread to other Western countries. While the First Wave was largely concerned with the suffragette struggle for the vote, the Second Wave focused more on both public and private injustices.
Issues of rape, reproductive rights, domestic violence and workplace safety were brought to the forefront of the movement and there was widespread effort to reform the negative and inferior image of women in popular culture to a more positive and realistic one. Women created their own popular culture and the movement spread through feminist films, music, books and even restaurants.
So many women should not take the rights fought for by by our grandmothers, mothers and even my contemporaries for granted. We can't. There are forces that want to take the power we have away. I'm not talking solely about women. I am talking about every member of our society who is considered "other" by the white, male-dominated class. I make no apologies if that makes those who read this blog uncomfortable.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a huge part of paving the way. "We take Ginsburg's successes for granted now, but she was the one who brought to the Supreme Court the perspective of women’s rights."
While her greatest contributions were as a jurist, her legacy transcends the law. Known affectionately in later years by the nickname “Notorious RBG,†Ginsburg became a feminist icon. Her image appeared on everything from coffee mugs to T-shirts to books documenting her famed workout regimen. An RBG action figure sits on a bookshelf in my office. My teenage daughter’s field hockey team has a play named after Ginsburg. We enjoyed these reminders of her powerful spirit.
Seeing Ginsburg sitting on the nation’s highest court brought to me a feeling of possibility. She was so small in stature, but so strong in will. For women and girls, for minorities of all types, for those of us who have ever had someone make us feel “less than,†RBG was an inspiration to be a fierce advocate for equality.
Justice Ginsburg has earned her rest. We haven't. There are still too many people who think that rights are just pieces of a pie. I grew up with the luxury of assuming my rights would always be there -- and years ago I learned how wrong I was. Keep fighting.
Dissent.
and Raine
