The Modern Woman:
Equal rights. The right to vote. The right to dress as we choose, stylish or not. The right to participate in whatever career we choose. Education. Higher education. Managing our own finances. Our own choices.
Absolutely independent if we want to be. We love it.
Steps Backward
What if we, as women:
– lost our right to manage our own lives or voice our own opinions? Husbands, fathers, brothers, or other near or distant relations were the decision makers with no input from us. Financial decisions, housing decisions, schooling decisions.
-were not considered intelligent enough or too delicate for politics, or to vote?
-were a pawn to create an advantageous alliance and were not allowed to choose our own spouse?
-were required to be silent, opinionless arm candy? The only opinions allowed to be voiced are those of our husbands/fathers.
-were not allowed to purchase property on our own, or it reverted to a male relative if our spouse passed away?
-had no right to opinions or decisions about our own healthcare?
This was the reality for our grandmothers, our great grandmothers and their mothers and grandmothers.
Until the 20th century (give or take) history paints a grim and difficult life for women. This was acceptable to many because they didn’t know any other way. The common opinion was that women did not know how to care for themselves or what was good for them, therefore the men in their generations made all decisions for them.
Why wouldn’t we just love it that way? We would be safe and cared for, knowing that someone else is making decisions in your best interest, providing for you and your children financially. In case you missed it, that was sarcasm. Historically, we know that while it worked for some lucky ones, many were oppressed by this system, whether they realized it or not.
I’m a person who pays my own way, and I work hard to do it. I make my own decisions, and even the thought of having no choices or being required to have another person oversee my life and make decisions for me with no right to an opinion is infuriating.
You know those cartoons with a snorting, angry bull with red vision, pawing the dirt, ready to charge? That’s me and a lot of others, men and women, protecting my rights.
The Parallel:
The Modern US Citizen
We have rights, lots of them. The right to vote for who we want, for whatever position they want. The right to dress as we choose. The right to participate in whatever career we want, or a career we hate for whatever amount we want. College educations. Managing our own finances. Our own healthcare decisions, living life by our own choices.
Absolutely independent if we want to be. The land of the free, we love it.
Steps Backward-
What if we, as citizens of the USA:
-did not have our rights to manage our own lives? Our state and government officials were the decision makers. Financial decisions, housing decisions, schooling decisions, healthcare decisions.
-were not considered intelligent enough to make our own opinions about politicians?
-were used as pawns to create an advantageous alliances and were not allowed to say “no” to other country’s demands for fear of offending them?
-were required to be silent and opinion-less? What if the only opinions allowed to be voiced are the major news broadcasters.
-were not allowed to own property, or someone was able to take it away from us?
-had no right to opinions or decisions about our own healthcare?
– were considered unable to care for ourselves or to decide what was good for us or our families?
Why wouldn’t we just love it that way, all safe and cared for, knowing that someone else is making decisions in your best interest, and providing for you and your children financially? Again, note the sarcasm.
Tell me, if this type of control isn’t acceptable for men to impose on women, why would it be acceptable for a government to impose that level of control over its citizens? Why would we knowingly elect officials who support these ideals?
| They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, Feb 17, 1775 You know those cartoons with a snorting, angry bull with red vision, pawing the dirt, ready to charge? That’s should be you and a lot of others, men and women, protecting our rights. |
Greeneyed Perspective 