These are pictures from the Iron Jawed Angels movement circa early 20th Century. There was a movie made about them in 2004 for HBO starrring Academy Award Winner, Hillar Swank. But the above pictures are not from hte movie, they're real and honest pictures from the Women's Suffrage Movement. Back in High School, I did a 6 week report on this movement and was forever changed because of it.
Today, it's about seven years later and I'm engaged to be married. My "femi-natzi" ways have mellowed a bit and I'm happier than ever and in love with a wonderful man whom I could not more proud of! I am loving and enjoying becoming a wife and doing wife-ly things. But I've not forgotten who I was and who I am.
It's also election year! While I still am not sure WHO I will vote for this coming November, I know this for sure: I WILL VOTE! Not because it actually counts, or because I think I'm picking the best person for the job (in fact, I think in the case of most Presidential Elections it's a case of voting for the lesser of two evils). But none the less, I will vote. I remember the first time I voted back in 2004, I walked out in the November air that night in Vegas. I stood there, with my voting card in my hand and looked up at the American Flag and teared up. I thought of all these women that went before me. The women that stood and fought and starved and even died, for my right to vote. That's pretty special, and I never want to take it for granted. That is why I'll vote.
Thankfully, I now consider myself more of a mellow feminist, I'm not as gun-ho as I was about it back in High School. I'm not a man-hater, nor do I feel that women are better than men. However, the truth is, much to the disliking of some of those around me, I am, and will always remain, a feminist. And I'm proud of it.
Feminism, for me, does not include male-bashing, bra-burning or shouting; it is simply the belief that I, as a woman, should have the same and equal rights and opportunites as the men around me. Feminism, for me, means that I should have the same privilages and financial capabliites as my husband, and that I alone should decide whom I love and marry.
Thank God I live in America where most of those rights are secured today, though not all of them, of course. But everyday, I thank God I'm an American woman, free, and not opressed, and not held down by some radical religious beliefs or backwards patriarchial society.
Women in this country still have a long way to go in securing the same and equal pay to that of our male counterparts; we have a long way to go in matching the maternity leaves of other developed countries; we have a long way to go in so many ways. But, we're here and we're doing it!
I am so glad to be a woman of today, to be 24 right now, old enough to remember the absolutely historical time our country is undergoing. A woman running for President!
Let me make it clear that I'm not enough of a feminist to vote for her simply because she is a woman; I think a President is a President is a President; and their ability to the job well should have nothing to do with their gender.
But it does, and it has, for over 200 years. I know a lot of people who sincerely disklike Hillary Clinton and the Clintons all together, and I can't say that I blame them.
But to ostracize someone or tell them to drop out of a race simply because they're not a man, that to me, is ludicrous. I know, I know, they're not telling her to drop out just because she's a woman, but still.
Love her, or hate her, you can't deny that this is an awesome moment in U.S. History, and an awesome moment for us feminists!
Do I honestly believe this country is ready for a female president? No. And unfortunately, I don't think it will be for a long time. However, it's still nice to see A WOMAN up there, running the race, right along side the men!
I think that is outright fantastic and I can't wait to tell my children and grandchildren about this historic time in the U.S!
Hilary Clintion has opened the door for those women ahead of her, and has run the race, thus far, to the best of her ability. All politicians are flawed, all politicians are human, all politicians are liars, all politicians are greedy and eager for power; let's not fault her for being what every other politician around her is as well!
Let's embrace her for being brave enough to plot the course and fight this fight; let's embrace her and thank her for opening doors for the women of my generation and those to come! In reading this, you might be thinking I'm a Hilary fan, I'm not. Her husband, Bill, was President for most of my life and will remain so until I turn around 28 or so, I think a lot of what he did as President was great, and a lot of it wasn't. Same goes for Bush, this time around! I was raised a Democrat, in my adult years, I've realized I'm more of a Conservative Democrat, and the more I listen to my fiancee', the more I realize that I'm not that Liberal after all. I'm Moderate.
I'm middle of the road; sometimes, I'm Democrat, sometimes I'm a Republican, and most of the time, I'm neither.
I don't think it's about blue or red or color, or gender, I think it's about what is best for a nation, collectively, as a whole. If the best person for job is Republican, than so be it, and if it's a Democrat, so be it too.
I honestly don't care what party they're a part of.
What matters to me is this: Are they real? Are they honest? (Probably not). Are they humble? Do they have AMERICA'S best interests at heart? Do they have experience? Do you have strength and character and humor? Yes, I think one would need humor to run a whole coutry otherwise they might possibly kill themselves from stress alone! Let me just say that it's not a job I would want! No thanks!
My point is: although I come from a very working class democrat upbringing, I'm not opposed to any one party or person based on their gender or their color! I'm proud of Barack Obama too! I think him being the first African American to run for President is just as awesome as Hilary being the first woman in the race! As for McCain, well, some things never change, (meaning the older, white, wealthy man running for President, of course, Hilary's pretty wealthy herself, so go figure!) but as for now, I can't fault any one of them personally. I'm enjoying the race. I'm enjoying watching and attempting to keep up.
At the end of the day, politics does not run my life. I'm planning a wedding, that alone is stressful enough. But, I do care! I care about this country, I care about its direction. I care about its people. And I care about the America that my children will encounter. And most of all, I care about paying respect to the thousands of men and women who died for my many freedoms and privilages; and especially my right to vote. For the men who fought in the wars and the women who fought for suffrage; THEY are why I vote! God Bless each and every one of them, and all of us, and always, always, please, God, Bless America!
In Light N' Love,
-Sarah Liz
