WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU?

Well, it came and it went with hardly a ripple on the fabric of the universe.  A historic day for women all over the world.  The media studiously ignored it just like most everyone else.  The one exception we heard was a radio talk show trashing women activists.

August 26, 1920 seems destined to join the rest of the dinosaurs.  It commemorates the sacrifice of many women who finally succeeded in their efforts to have women become accepted by our country as human beings and thus entitled to vote.

August 26, 1999 found most women too busy to bother getting informed; too involved to notice what is going on around them, and if the polls are correct, too uncaring to even think about how important the vote is to them.  The information is out there and it's getting strong and scary.

Wouldn't you think that all of the presidential candidates would at least give lip service to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution?  Aren't they all supposed to be courting the gendergap?  Well, no. They really don't need to trouble themselves because the polls are telling them that women really don't care about any of the issues.  Why wake up the sleeping beauties?

Perhaps some candidates did mention it in passing, but the media did not report it. Reporters were all too busy charging after Senator McCain because he "was sounding like a moderate on abortion."  This caused a flurry of explanations from the McCain campaign to set the record straight.  They hastened to assure all and sundry that their candidate was unalterably anti-abortion.  His remarks were unfortunate and not what he meant to say.

Nothing like sticking your foot in it and then when the screaming hordes of journalist come at you, pull it out and restructure your remarks.  Sure gets you lots of media attention.

It's really all a ploy.  Experts in balderdash are leading us down the garden path.  We are being lulled to sleep by the sweet murmuring of those who have already dulled the abortion issue with platitudes reminiscent of the plaintive cry; "can't we all get along?"

Here are some of the slogans and admonitions coming over the airways ostensibly by pro-choice Republican women: 

Pay attention to this siren song and then you won't hear and wonder and question some of the real information that is out there.  For example, that W. lied on an affidavit concerning a funeral home, according to an article in the Washington Post by John Mintz.

And check out the whitewash job going on in Louisiana.  Subscriber Jackie, sent this excerpt to us: "W. came to LA and wholeheartedly endorsed our governor Foster (gag!)  The same day Governor Foster was fined $20,000.00 (a mere pittance for a multi-millionaire) for buying an endorsement (cloaked in buying his voter list) from David Duke.

The drug questions are another smoke screen.  Already there are those who feel sorry for W. and blame reporters for harassing him.  They reason that "we all experimented when we were young. It shouldn't disqualify him."  What is REALLY important is that he has raised, so far, over $50 million!  Money isn't just talking now, it is screaming.

If nothing else, it should wake us up.  It isn't just a pro or con thing about abortion.  It is whether women's bodies are to be owned and controlled by the Federal and/or State Government. Are we just too busy with the good life to notice?

"We've won the battle for equity," they tell us.  "We don't need such divisive laws like Affirmative Action anymore, so shut up and quitcherbellyaching."  There is no longer any need for the Women's Movement.

Some victory.  Only a day or two ago the Elks Lodge in Franklin, NH was fined more than $64,000 for discriminating against four women who tried to join.  The state Commission for Human Rights concluded that the women were banned solely because they were women and that they were subjected to verbal and sexual harassment because they applied.

Oh, there have been some real changes for the better.  We don't deny that, but it should sure tell us something when a reviewer introduces a new women's magazine with, "Nowhere on the cover of Women Outside is the word sex, orgasm or men."

Consider the following excerpt from The Hygiene Question by Alison Walsh, who watched T.V. while recuperating from a bad cold.

"... I spent four days in the company of Oprah and Maury Povitch and General Hospital.
I was astonished to discover that most daytime T.V. commercials have one clear message:  Women leak, dribble, and smell.  They're overweight, and they're constipated.  Women have dandruff, split ends, bad breath, and bad breasts; they require special bras for both the under- and over endowed.  Apparently women must buff, douche, diet, gargle, and primp constantly if they want to overcome their basic vileness.

"Then I thought, maybe men get the same messages when they watch their programs.  Maybe advertising during sporting events is geared toward products that men need to make them socially acceptable.  So I turned on a golf tournament and spent one hour and 12 minutes watching the commercials.

"Evidently men are fine just the way they are.  They have a small problem with weight gain and graying hair, but mainly they are handsome, playful, and successful..."

(Thanks for sending this on to us, subscriber Denise!)

We are heartened to read that Liz Friedman, in New Zealand, assures us that the T.V. character, Xena, Warrior Princess, will "always appear intelligent, capable and -- as much as any male superhero -- larger than life."  Liz, along with writers of both genders is responsible for some of the most encouraging words for women that we have heard or seen written in a long time.

Like this:

We hope August 26th was good for you, and that you got together with other women to celebrated our Emancipation Proclamation.  We hope that it strengthened you to reenter the fray with spirits refreshed and renewed.  The real battles are just beginning and we must NEVER give up.

Twanda@ConnRiver.net                

1999-036

Copyright 1999 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@ConnRiver.net.

G e n d e r G a p p e r s   ^{T M}