Women and History
“Here's to strong women: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them"- Unknown
March is Women’s History month in the U.S. so I’ve been thinking about being a woman and about the women in my life. I’ve always loved being female, but the way I define womanhood has changed so much since I was a girl. As a girl growing up in rural Massachusetts, I accepted without question that the careers I could choose from were (in order of social acceptability) housewife, secretary, or schoolteacher. Because I was the first person in my family to go to college, no one knew what to do with “bookworm” me, except to send me to what was known as the state “teachers” college. I graduated directly into married life and worked as a teacher only until my first child was born.
As a child who was not confident of her physical strength and athletic ability, I was relieved that my family expected less from me in those areas than they expected from my brothers. I allowed boys to carry my books and open doors for me, feeling like that made me special. Men dominated the world in family, business, religion, and relationships so being in a controlling relationship early in life seemed normal.
I took voting for granted as a white female and did not think much about how hard it was for women (and people of color) to gain the right to vote. In fact, there were few lines about anyone who was not a white male in any of my history books at school.
In 1968, I laughed at advertisements for Virginia Slim cigarettes. I could not see or hear the disparaging sexist content of the slogan, “You’ve come a long way, Baby”. Most of the women I knew never used protection during sex, and using birth control was against the religion I was brought up in. Gender roles were clear and rigid. Anyone who was not heterosexual was unacceptable to my community and family.
My understanding of myself and womanhood has changed so drastically that it it feels like I'm in a different lifetime from the one I knew as a child. My inner transformation required healing from sexual trauma and learning how to love and accept myself as a person of worth. My identity as a woman feels richer now, with plenty of room to grow and lots of space for multiple definitions of gender identity and personal expression. I love that women and female energy from all genders are influencing culture, economics, science, politics, business, and the arts in wonderful ways that were suppressed and punished when I was young. I can see full-circle wholeness (that once existed ages ago) returning from the balance of male and female energies.
I salute women who inspire my daily life and remind me of how I want to serve the world. Natalie Goldberg, Julia Cameron, Marisa Goudy, Mary Oliver, and Amanda Gorman help my inner writer grow and keep me showing up on the page. Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Ruth Bader Ginsberg remind me that women can be strong and successful yet remain true to their hearts and values. My Mom, Meryl Streep, and Lady Gaga keep me singing and dancing. Rosa Parks, Mary Magdalene, and my friends Kate and Maggie help me remember that women can be strong, powerful, and heart-centered all at once. My daughter, my sons’ partners, and all the women I work with professionally inspire me to be the person I want to be. They lead the way for new generations of women who will know how wonderful they are and let the world know they are here.
TRY THIS: The women you love
1-If you are a woman, think about how you viewed women as a child and how you think about them now. Celebrate how you and the world have transformed and dream of where you want to go next.
2-Consider why you love the women you love. Tell them how they inspire you.
3-Find new women to be your mentors and muses: Look around your neighborhood or go here:
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2020/09/22/worlds-most-admired-2020
