I have a confession to make. I don’t know much about gender studies, or ‘women’s issues’, or the history of the feminist movement. I was a Philosophy major and I remember reading Secrets of Life, Secrets of Death by Evelyn Fox Keller. It bored me. I was more interested in Popper and Kuhn.
But, I have always felt that progressive causes are set back for a simple reason. There are not enough women in elected office. Women usually make up slightly more than half of any population. They murder and get murdered less. They live longer, on average.
Yet, there are by my count only fourteen female U.S. Senators. If there were 52 female Senators, I don’t think we would be watching Bush’s judges get confirmed. I don’t think Bill Frist would be majority leader. Even if most of the women were Republicans, I don’t think a Senate with gender equity would put up with James Dobson’s bullshit.
When I decided to start this web community, I had this same logic in mind. I tried to recruit women to be front-pagers here. Susan and Maryscott agreed. Some others had other projects they were dedicated to. But, my idea was: “Shoot, I’m no expert on gender bias, health care, day care, education, workplace discrimination, or any other issues that can be loosely defined as ‘women’s issues’, but if I succeed in building a community where both genders are heard equally, it will reflect the reality of the Democratic Party.”
Because the reality of the Democratic Party is that it is a women’s party. It is the party of assistance to single mothers, of affirmative action, of reproductive rights, of minimum wage, of day care, health care and job training.
I care about all these things, as do most Democraric men. But I know these issues will be better protected and advanced when the gender of our elected officials more nearly reflects the gender of the population at large.
Anyway, that was my thinking. And so far, it’s paid off. I’ve learned a lot just by working with Susan everyday. And Susan has helped to attract the balanced community that I hoped to create.
You had me at “I have a confession to make. “
I must admit, though, that I was hoping for something a little more shocking than boredom!
some other background reading for Boo… 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805210040/103-7247366-2030242?v=glance
And then there is:
A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?userid=2U048Z04PC&sourceid=&isbn
=0679733760&pdf=y
Description:
Library Journal
This book is a model of social history at its best. An exegesis of Ballard’s diary, it recounts the life and times of this obscure Maine housewife and midwife. Using passages from the diary as a starting point for each chapter division, Ulrich, a professor at the University of New Hampshire, demonstrates how the seemingly trivial details of Ballard’s daily life reflect and relate to prominent themes in the history of the early republic: the role of women in the economic life of the community, the nature of marriage and sexual relations, the scope of medical knowledge and practice. Speculating on why Ballard kept the diary as well as why her family saved it, Ulrich highlights the document’s usefulness for historians.– Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., N.J.
Also Sisterhood Is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women’s Liberation Movement
by ROBIN MORGAN.
When first published in 1970, this book was a manifesto for a generation of women. Although it has not been updated since, it demonstrates how far we’ve come and what is the next step for women. Uneven style and tone of writing give this unquestionable realness not often found in more contemporary feminist anthologies.
That book is my all time favorite – I still have my original paperback copy.
Another along the same lines is Bitches and Sad Ladies: an anthology of fiction by and about women, edited by Pat Rotter. Not currently in print, but can be picked up very inexpensively at Amazon or Half.com.
My original paperback is long lent and lost, so I recently bought a hardcover. I was disappointed that the acknowlegements page was different. In the paperback, there was a listing of “thanks to” different women, then a list of men. The last line read “Without these men, this book would not have been possible. On the other hand, it might not have been necessary.”
Please, no offense to the men here – I just couldn’t resist the smile that I know that will give to the other age 50+ feminists recently gathered round the Pond.
This copy of the book also has an interesting inscription. It was a Christmas present from a man to a woman, and he wrote “Remember as you read these pages that I am capable of an undetermined amount of change…”
The last line read “Without these men, this book would not have been possible. On the other hand, it might not have been necessary.”
Perfect. I was given the book by my wife & sister and instructed to STFU and read. Took the better part of 10 years for it all to sink in (de-programming’s a pain). Thanks for posting that. 🙂
…as well as Martha’s diary, notcho (she was from what is now Augusta, ME–Hallowell, actually)!
http://dohistory.org/interests/i_diaries.html
A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812. Winner, Pulitzer Prize for History, 1991.
Not bad for the women’s studies set.
Laurel Ulrich’s most recent book ‘The age of homespun : objects and stories in the creation of an American myth’ is just as excellent.
I’d also suggest ‘No turning back : the history of feminism and the future of women by Estelle B. Freedman’ and the author’s excellent feminist resouce website No Turning Back: The Feminist Resource Site
yup, that’s what we need. But how, that is the question.
I remember reading this snarky little book at an old friends house. Her father was a Pop Culture professor, and taught about Gay and Lesbian issues (he was pretty liberal guy). In it, there was a little cartoon about women getting the right to vote, and how afraid the powers that be were when it happened.
But, turned out that women voted just the same way that men did. And it’s still pretty much true today. Your sex really doesn’t say much about your voting patterns, accept as a woman you have 54% of being a Dem, as opposed to a 46% chance for the GOP.
Is it possible for one party to have a monopoly on one sex? And all the women’s issues that concern us on the liberal side, why do the women on the GOP side (45% of women) think about them? Do they not care? Are they misinformed?
I have a woman representing me in the House, w/ Diane Degette. She just wedged the GOP in two w/ her stem cell bill. We need more women like her around.
Unmarried women went for Kerry (esp. low income women, but not nearly enough of them).
Democratic candidates tend to drag out the women when they’re desperate–many fail to state their pro-women voting records prominently on their web portals (if at all).
Here’s everything you could possibly want to know about women and politics (including voting demographics).
http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/
I live in the land of Collins and Snowe, and am rarely impressed w/their roll call votes–primarily lock & step w/the Republicans.
However, the ME Democratic party cannot seem to muster up a prochoice progressive candidate (who is the least bit viable); and we’re stuck w/anti-choice Mike Michaud in the House (I did not vote for him…twice).
His two elections caused intense and lingering factionalization in the ME Dem. party, for sure (yet another reason why I unenrolled after 32 yrs. as a registered Democrat).
It’s more than frustrating, to say the least.
Women lack the seed monies to run in primaries, which is a massive hurdle.
Factor in the complicity factor (i.e., being “tough on defense”), tacking to the right (to appease that all elusive 2% swing voter “Evangelical” block), and the avoidance of the “A” word; and it’s no wonder that Democrats cannot win.
Alienating the base (women and African Americans) isn’t the answer.
If I have to either write in Betty Boop, or stay at home in 2006, then so be it.
I’m soooooooooooo sick and tired of all of the “big tent” (shut up with this ‘single issue’ malarky/party unity nonsense)!
I had some hope that Mike Michaud might not be too bad, but after he voted for the MBNA bankruptcy bill, I have vowed to do everything I can do get rid of him in the next election cycle.
I have two women Senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. Sometimes they vote as I would like, more often they don’t. I think Olympia is smarter and more attuned to her constituents than Susan, who is mostly a party tool.
Chinese saying: Women hold up half the sky.
Too bad our society (and theirs, truth be told) doesn’t recognize this.
Popper and Kuhn! I have found a home.
I think we could make a fair list of what are considered “women’s issues” by looking at what the Bush administration is trying to destroy.
(To me many of these are family issues, but this is the republican take.)
education
infrastructure
environment
reproductive rights
higher education costs
community development
Many of these attack what I find essential to developing a full human being- especially education and autonomy. (I’m writing a diary on that for tonight.)
add: health care, job design, living wages, childcare, the war on drugs.
Of course all these are more than women’s issues, but it is worthwhile to view them from the women’s standpoint, which often is not represented in public discourse.
spent the war years at the university where I did my undergraduate study. He gave up a place at a far more prestigious UK university, so that another refugee could escape Germany. At the time I doing philosophy and history of science courses there, his influence was still palpable.
Completely OT, I know. Mea culpa.
A few others:
poverty
welfare
health care
spousal and child abuse prevention programs
substance abuse treatment programs
mental health programs
peace
parental leave
I like that word “autonomy.” It has a powerful ring to it. It reminds me of my birth experiences — I can do it myself, thanks. No need for scalpels or pain medication to rob me of the enjoyment of pushing a baby out under my own steam.
Autonomy and empowerment are what feminism is all about. There are so many ways in which our culture minimizes women’s power and women’s autonomy.
I think we need to do a whole lot more roaring.
breakthrough metaphor–eclairs!
and not many people make a good eclair these days….
Clare Boothe Luce said of peace and the need for women, “we live in a world where men have decided to die together because they are unable to find a way to live together.”
I would add:
Title IX
Violence against women, specifically rape
The ERA, I believe this is fundamental for women’s rights
Count every vote, we know a thing or two about the privileges of voting and having our votes counted.
On that note, I agree, let the roaring begin.
I’ve had similar thoughts. Hey, I am an engineer. Not only do I not know much about women’s issues, but in my classes in school and in my places of work, there weren’t and aren’t enough women (if any!) around to talk to about politics. (That’s my excuse for being single, and I’m sticking to it, Mom!)
When I am casting ballots in local races I tend to follow an affirmative action voting policy for races where I am unable to distinguish sharply between candidates. More women in politics is bound to yield more progressive results, given the political gender gap. And I want more progressive results!
that’s how I would vote, like for judges. If i didn’t know anything about the candidates, and their party affiliation wasn’t listed, I’d just vote for the woman because, hell, it’s time to give the women a chance to run stuff.
Didn’t work out though! The GOP runs women too! Damn them! Now I take that little cheat sheet w/ me when I vote.
I follow affirmative action but I’ve never voted for a GOP candidate in any race for anything (to the best of my knowledge, anyway)
I agree, you gotta take the little cheat sheet.
Here are a couple of “women’s issues” to keep everyone off the streets!
From those pesky “sanctimonious” feminists~tsk, tsk.
Single issue?
Hardly. Yikes.
http://tinyurl.com/dwb84
Thank you for bringing these marvelous and talented diarists to your front page booman. I find that whomever stated that women’s issues are not just that, they are human rights issues that impact all of us, made a profound statement. Coming from a culture that has been disenfranchised for more than 200 years, denigriated, swindled, lied too and brokered to make sure the culture never realizes it potential, I have great empathy for women’s issues. That the vast majority of human beings living in the US are women with children is mortifying to me. That, given the current theocratic shift to the religious right by our legislative branch, threatens not just a woman’s right to choice concerning her body and health choices, but that every man, woman and child will be impacted by these so called christian do gooders, who are really going to save the fetus, but discard the born child. I thank Great Spirit for having this wonderful place to develop myself and grow as a political animal, a man and human being.
That the vast majority of human beings living in the US are women with children is mortifying to me.
should have read
That the vast majority of human beings living in poverty in the US are women with children is mortifying to me.
I look at Washington state, which is represented by two women in the Senate.
I look at Maine, which is represented by two women in the Senate.
Therefore, by the Republogic™ which was intended to prove that Dino “Hypoc” Rossi really won the election here in Washington, this representative sample of states shows that there must be 100 women in the United States Senate.
Won’t Santorum be surprised. snicker
I count myself lucky that my political area is represented by Senator Boxer & representative Nancy Pelosi. I have my disagreements with Senator Feinstein, but she does try to be somewhere in the middle.
Senator Boxer and Rep. Pelosi have both repeatedly shown that so called “women’s issues” are people issues. They have shown that women can stand for any issue and be heard.
So – let’s focus on good candidates for 2006 and 2008 – men and women. Yes, I’d like to see more women in office…we’ll get there one step at a time. Something to remember is that Senator Boxer started as a County Supervisor. So let’s get out there and build the grass roots team.
I’m feeling incredibly cranky today after only a few hours sleep and hearing the phrase ‘women’s issues’ over and over in the last several days. And discouraged that their have been so many people that are still clueless to how much sexism is still rampant in women’s daily lives.
I simply want to scream bloody fucken murder when I hear that-women’s issues. Excuse me but that’s the freaken problem right there..marginalizing ‘issues’ into a certain group as if it’s some sort of special interest issue..goddamit no…they are all human issues and effect every fucken one of us.
Like saying rape is a ‘woman’s issue’..well no I’d characterize it as a male issue turning into criminal behaviour against women. As long as men don’t get very actively involved in the forefront on this ‘issue’ then rape as a major criminal problem will continue.
Booman mentions health care, day care, education and others as people who loosely classify these as ‘woman’s issues’…but my big question is why the fuck is that?..aren’t these issues that effect men equally as much as women?.. Men have kids, men worry about kids health, their health…I don’t get the disconnect in perception as to why anyone would even think any of those issues are even loosely women’s issues.
As for having a better balanced Senate and House, well feminists have been talking about that for over 30 years and it’s depressing at how little we’ve achieved in that regard. Seems to me only common sense(not feminism not anything else, just common sense)that to have a democracy work you have to have everyone represented in a fairly equal manner. Common sense and respect. Every damn thing comes back to respect. With maybe a big dose of an empathetic gene.
Amen to your statement that these are “all human issues.” Men DO worry about all of the problems you just mentioned and it’s disconcerting when people start slicing and dicing issues into the pet projects of various constituencies (the easier to dismiss later).
One of the many (ahem, many) frustrations I have with the present administration is that it consistenly fails to identify the connections between issues, and between policies and consequences. Complexity just isn’t in BushCo’s lexicon.
It most definitely should be in ours. Which means seeing that “women’s issues” are all of our issues.
This argument is not hard to make to men, either, and I don’t know why most politicians don’t make it. When women don’t get equal pay for equal work, women suffer — but so do their partners and husbands, children, etc. And so on with every issue down the line. We all benefit when people are treated fairly…with respect. Period.
That’s why Booman is onto something great. That’s why they’re called ‘women’s issues’.
Now. Go eat some chocolate and come back when you’re feeling less cranky!
Chocolate is a food group-just in case anyone wasn’t aware of that highly scientific fact..and yeah am feeling slightly less cranky today…which is good as I’m one of those very even keeled persons so being cranky particularly annoys me thus making me doubly cranky.
You’re right that it isn’t just one party that marginalizes women it’s just that repugs are much worse about it with all their quasi religious freaks. Making the climate today for woman to me worse instead of better.
If you care about Women and Choice Help bring down PRYOR who is nominated for Fed Judge on the 11th circuit..There will be an up or down vote Tomorrow in the Senate. This is a horrific man,he is the Worst of the Worst..This man is 42 years old and could be on the Federal bench for over 40 years. PRYOR is quoted as saying in regards to Roe v Wade that it is “The Worst abomination of Constitutional Law in our History”, not to mention his pathetic stance on Gay Rights, comparing Gay relationships to Prostitution, Adultery, Necrophilia, Bestiality, Incest and Pedophilia. I posted a diary on PRYOR last week that was ignored. I have called my Senators everyday since his name came up. Let your voice be heard.
I fear that the fix is in. I predict that not one Republican will vote against Pryor… or any of the other judges that will come to a vote. I hope I’m wrong.
and their backroom deal was Bullshit, a waste of time and there was no reason why they did it? What was the point then?
I don’t know. We can only hope. I don’t trust a single one of those Republicans to utter a word of truth or to live up to the simplest promise.
Hello Booman and everyone,
My first post here — just joined. I see a lot of us are coming over here from DailyKos as an exodus…
I hope that the spirit that prompted the migration can be channeled into good ongoing dialogue and opportunities to learn and grow with one another — as well as keep up on what’s happening and we can do to bring a better world.
Yes.. it’s all connected. Women’s issues are human issues. I wish fervently that we had more gender balance in positions of power as well. It’s healthy for the world. Nice to see it here on this site.
What I found most disturbing about the dKos meltdown was not the original controversy (which was fairly trivial, imho), but how it brought to the surface so much hidden antifeminism in a community that I had assumed was above that.
My own naïvité perhaps.
Welcome to the Frog Pond. I hope you’ll check out the Welcome Wagon diaries and introduce yourself to the community. It’s a great tradition and helps us build community. See you around!
When I go to vote or protest.. I have never gone as a “woman”.
I care about the issues because I’m a being living on this planet.
Yes, I have different views of certain issues because so many are being damaged by the Bush, Inc supporters. As a parent, too.
But caring about the environment is not considered a Parent’s issue – even though I’m pretty pissed off how we are going to leave this planet for our children and their children…
Maybe it’s because I’m a ditzy blonde… but to me – it all boils down (no Bush pun intended) to
Human Issues.
One has to be pretty stupid to piss off their most vocal and passionate warriors. 🙂
For me it is simple, because issues tend to change with times all I ever asked for was respect for my voice and equality. I know it is life that things will not always be and can not always be equal, but I deserve what can be attained right along with everybody else. I never wanted or needed special priveleges or special consideration. I have also found out that I don’t care how others express their sexuality, but I don’t care to mix my sex life with my political discourse. My sex life and my sexuality are my business that I tend to away from whatever political arenas I may be in. I intend to protect everybody’s right to their own sexuality, but I don’t need to see anybody’s sexual stimulation material in the middle of political discussions.
you are doing a damn fine job here, and I can’t help repeating myself that the Boo & Hu show is a good example of power-sharing.And the handling of the “refugee” crisis has been good too.
that said, ironically, (and I sure thought so at the time) my worst undergrad grade (D+)was in Anthropology of Women. There was just a lot of crap in the class and the readings that made me conclude promoting women should not mean intellectual suicide.
So I haven’t kept up much with the literature(not just in reaction to that, but due to other interests), and have no friggin idea the writers/theorists to whom you refer.
Remember once feeling great frustration as a grad student in architectural history, then someone published a survey of literature in the field of architectural history, and came to the conclusion that the most stimulating and formative stuff to the field of architectural history came mostly from those outside that specified academic niche. So that was a good lesson. Honesty curiosity will always trump “expert” status.
Ok, well, I have faith it can. So I would not necessarily discount that a male could be an incredibly good theorist on feminism.
Oh and somewhat on & off topic–where’s Dood been? Did they take all his rare blood?
are the very policies and issues that separate civilization from primitivism.
At their basic core, they are about structuring a society that fosters a dignified view of every individual human being — providing health care, safety, education and a guarantee of wage and rights parity under the law.
Of course these aren’t just “women’s issues.” But they’re called that. And I’m actually kinda proud of it.
What does it leave the men to claim? Militarism and space exploration. Wow. I want to live in a society that prioritizes those, by all means.
Agree with above, in other words. Women’s issues are human issues. I’m just not quite as pissed off about it.
In any of the other “theory dorks” on the site doing a once-a-week diary explaining some aspect of “gender theory?” If people wanted to, we could announce which short text we were going to discuss and then if people wanted, they could bring their questions/discussions/comments to the discussion.
Sounds kinda dorky, but it could be kind of fun.
I got so excited that I clicked “post” before I had any text entered. count me in as a YES!!!!!.
I nominate you to go first. Tag.
such pressure…I hope my performance anxiety doesn’t get the best of me 🙂
How about a Friday evening ritual? I know that I have no life. Dunno about anyone else…
OMG. You ARE a dork. 🙂
I am free on friday nights, too, as it turns out. Don’t know if that works for anyone else, however.
major dork here…here’s how bad: One time a straight friend of mine–who’s also one of my dearest friends and a sociologist who studies masculinity and violence–went with me to a gay dance club here in Boston. (His response to friends who had given him shit about a previous trek to one of “my” bars was, “they have beer, don’t they?” Still my favorite.) This night, we ended up comparing how the go-go dancers were performing masculinity….I don’t know if I’d have done that had he not been there, though–I’d probably have been cruising and dancing.
ha …wish I had thought of answer like that when I got asked stupid questions about why I frequented gay bars so often with my friends who were gay..To me it always seemed rather more logical to go to gay bars with my friends who were gay then to have them go to regular bars with me…as they would be much more comfortable at the gay bar and I was just as comfortable as opposed to them being at bars I might hang out at where they’d have to be on guard.
This would make a fantastic series. If it were coded right, it could also serve as a link to post for when people ask for explanations about feminist theory, so the explanation doesn’t get short-changed by the brevity of comment posts and people can get lots of info all at once. Plus, never hurts to have more people thinking critically about gender, especially in connection to institutionalized politics.
Great. You get the second installment. Tag. You’re it.
Good lord, I haven’t had homework in eons. I meant I’d read and participate in the thread. But yeah, all right, I’ll read MAJeff’s this Friday and give one a shot the following week.
damn. I feel powerful.
You throw out the idea then disavow any of the work? tsk-tsk.
I know Lorraine is going to be leading one of these gender klatsches, but my suggestion for posting would be this: whoever has the highest rated comment 24-hours after the post goes up gets responsibility for writing the next week’s post. Doesn’t matter how much you’ve read–find something about gender you’re interested in and write. We’ll be “doing” theory while we’re discussing it.
This sort of thing is what I really look for in the blogosphere. Several months ago, A Gilas Girl tried to get some kind of collective reflection going on Kos…a few of us tagged along, but it died out. The term that came to mind for me was “critical reflexivity.” As an evangelical sociologist, I’m always looking for new opportunities to talk about this stuff, to try and bring what I find so powerful about this knowledge out of the academese that I both find frustrating and love into some kind of broader dialogue….and to learn.
So, do I have homework due a week from Friday or not? As I’ve mentioned here at BT briefly, I’m disabled, so while I’m certainly willing to contribute to the work, it will be work for me and I can use all the lead time I can get.
Take week 2….we’ll get a few set people rolling first, then let it take off on its own…at least that seems like a good approach to me…
others?
I’ve noticed or it seems to me anyway that quite a few people on bootrib have mentioned they are disabled …including me…I’m kinda wondering the percentage and also why I don’t really volunteer either for ideas like the one lorraine has put forward…although think it’s a fucken good idea and one I’m intensely interested in.
It may be that disabled folks are overrepresented on the ‘net since many of us are physically limited and spend more time at the computer than out doing other things. I know for me that’s true, anyway. I used to be very active, but after I got sick, there wasn’t much choice in the matter for me anymore. I am tremendously grateful for the internet, though.
As you can see from the thread, I didn’t actually intend to volunteer for the gender diary project, but sometimes things just…happen. 🙂 I deal with a lot of fatigue (you’re probably familiar) and ‘brainfog’ so that’s why I don’t usually volunteer, but I find theory fascinating so hopefully I’ll be able to pull something interesting together. Anyway, I love the passion in your upthread comment, chocolate ink, so I hope to see you posting in the gender diaries starting tomorrow.
Shit. You’re on to me. I was just hoping no one would notice…But in answer to your question, IndyLib, do you want to do it? I was being flippant, but if it’s too much work, honestly, MaJeff has an interesting suggestion on handling the tasks.
I like the idea of a working theory into action group. You know. Praxis. (no. that’s not some new ED drug.)
Praxis…hell, add it to the party drug scene 🙂
Here’s what I’ll do with the post on Friday…I’ll post the first comment as a sort of “housekeeping” thread…the reast of the comments can be about the post itself. That way we can work out some of the logistical things like posting order, etc.
Honestly, IndyLib, I think it’s a good idea if you take week 2…there’s a bit of stability built in (Lorraine…want week 3?) That way, we can get it going first, work out some kinks, and put it into motion.
Okay, week 2, confirmed. On my calendar. Anything with kinks is up my alley. 😉
I guess this means I take week 3. Unless I have a date; then I’m ditching you. (I am SO kidding.)
I’m never giving you any more diva recommendations.
Now look who’s being the diva. Okay. Theory first, date later.
So, any ideas for what we’re reading first?
I can be Her Highness of the Ivory Tower, the Dork Diva.
I’m thinking some stuff on the body–a little Fausto-Sterling and gendered bodies…something along those lines…
I wrote a book about Simone de Beauvoir. I don’t know if that qualifies as gender theory. Some people think of her work as a little old fashioned. I am not going to be available after June 24, though.
Truth is, Booman, I probably know less about gender studies than you do. It wasn’t a subject of study when I was in college outside of a psych human sexuality class. From college I went right into the workforce with no stops in between. Gender studies, women’s issues, the academic part of it was a huge mystery to me. But I was also born into time period after a lot of the battles, the big ones, had been fought. Birth control was readily available to me and the jobs I was suited for weren’t particularly big draws for guys.
Everything I know about “women’s issues” comes from living and working like the vast majority of people do, and doing so as a woman. I grew up being told there were a lot of things “girls” didn’t do at the same time being told I could do anything. Very confusing.
But, my idea was: “Shoot, I’m no expert on gender bias, health care, day care, education, workplace discrimination, or any other issues that can be loosely defined as ‘women’s issues’, but if I succeed in building a community where both genders are heard equally, it will reflect the reality of the Democratic Party.”
Thank you and well said. I have wasted a great deal of time (years) working towards this precise goal elsewhere and my efforts have been destroyed in three days time. If it’s acceptable I would like to help out here.
I expect your help will be appreciated here. I wanted to invite you over to the Welcome Wagon diary. It seems to be a tradition over here for new members to introduce themselves and say hi. There have been a few of the original site members working tirelessly these last few days to greet everyone personally. I’m new here myself, but it does seem to be a large part of the ‘family’ dynamic here.
Thanks zander,
I followed your advice and posted and then discovered AuntiePeachys here too. I’ve got serious affection for AP.
Welcome to other and zander…been hard to keep up with all the great new people to bootrib so my welcomes are a bit scattershot. And to any other newbie reading this also. I’m thrilled with all the thoughtful, funny and at times profane comments from all of you.
I’m an oldie(according to society anyway) here both by my age and by being here at bootrib from the beginning..I’m number 38..I’ve never done a diary but post comments every day, sometimes a lot of comments so you will see me often and I hope to see you all often and not just lurking although there is nothing wrong with that..that’s what I did at Kos for years.(and never felt that comfortable there like I did here right from the beginning).
Originally I thought that the more women in Congress the more my views would be represented. That was back, way back, in my early 20’s, when I had a naive idea that all women were for other women’s welfare and were supportive of each other. Then I got to know my older sisters better, one of whom was embarrassed by the “women’s lib”(her words) movement, and thought it reflected badly on women. It was then I realized that more women in Congress didn’t necessarily mean that women’s concerns would be represented any better, but in fact some women can actually not represent us so well at all. Now, my goal is changed to more women in Congress, but only if they are liberal. In fact no more people should be allowed in congress at all unless they are liberal.
I really don’t like the “women’s issues” label either, anymore. That label sure lets a lot of humans off the hook for responsibility for their own lives. Just like washing dishes,washing cloths, housework, and taking care of children used to be “women’s work”, and let some humans off the hook in participating in their own upkeep and participation in raising their family. Women’s work and women’s issues are really humans work and human issues and are all part of life. Everybody, women, children, and men, benefit from women making higher wages, being healthier, being happier, and so on. Any body who benefits should be a participant in acquiring the benefit. How often do people pass something over as “Mens Issues”? I am not sure I have ever heard of that category in my life.
A label also puts something in a category. Since you can’t possibly understand ALL categories of everything. You can just pass over some of them so you don’t get overwhelmed. Women’s Issues is a convenient one to pass over and then claim you don’t understand what it is all about.
But, I have always felt that progressive causes are set back for a simple reason. There are not enough women in elected office.
Hate to be a negative creep, but I call bullshit on over-simplistic, self-defeating, poorly thought outgeneralizations like this.
I REALLY think that having Elizabeth Dole, Margaret Thatcher, Laura Bush, Indira Gandhi, Catherine the Great, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and the rest of the litany of REALLY REALLY BAD PEOPLE who happen to be women who occupied positions of great power as examples – and there are many, many more – should tell us all we need to know.
Laura Schlesinger is a woman. Judge Judy is a woman. Sandra Day O’Connor is a woman.
I call bullshit.
I will pick a man like Malcom, flawed as he was, or a man like MLK Jr., or a man like Bill Haywood, or a man like Eugene Debs over any or all of those women ANY DAY.
It is not enough to have the right plumbing. It is not enough to have the right skin color (Clarence Thomas, Ward Connerly, Thomas Sowell, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell). It is not enough to be a member of the proper oppressed group (Jews, Palestinians, Arabs, Persians, Chinese, Japanese).
No way, no way, no way.
That is shallow and self-destructive.
Fill me in on how bad she was. I invited a woman writing a book on her connection to the French Enlightenment to come and talk to our Gender Studies program. I hope that that was not a big boo boo.
She was a mixed story –
Here is a start Wiki
But her autocratic ways partition of poland, reaffirmation of the absolute ownership of serfs by landlords and nobility and such, hardly put her in the “A-list” of “Enlightened Despots”…
Not an enlightened ruler, perhaps, but a powerful, strongminded and educated one. I don’t expect her to held up as a paragon.
Yes.
So was Margaret Thatcher, and so are Condolleeza, Hillary, Elizabeth Dole, and others.
Which is my point – the plumbing doesn’t much matter when/if it is attached to an odious, reactionary, anti-progressive brain.
Catherine loved Voltaire. Bought his entire library and had it rebuilt in the Winter Palace.
But the French Revolution scared her away from the political and social ideas of the Enlightenment and she discarded the enlightened component of her despotism in the later years of her reign.
No it is not enough Dan, but that is not to say it doesn’t help. It surely helps, if only because a more demographically representative government tends to promote a more representative agenda.
Really?
Which demographic?
Concerned Women of America?
If people are ignorant, benighted fools, they will vote for and support anyone who can lead their noses in the desired direction.
That goes for women and men.
Sure, but so what? If people are ‘ignorant, benighted fools,’ all bets are off. All else being equal though, a more representative government leads to a greater degree of preference-satisfaction, as economists say. Surely you won’t dispute that.
Environmental protection, includes clean air/water, wildlife habitat preservation, alternative energy,
alternative transportation, etc. etc.
WAR
Propaganda, Freedom of the Press, protection of
Journalists all around the world.
Child Abuse, prevention of; this includes pre-natal care for all mothers-to-be, early childhood education, along with social services to protect children.
Women issues — what it means to me … knowing that my nieces (since I have boys) won’t be hired at a job based solely on their looks as I was many moons ago, but based on their ability to do the job well. Knowing that women will no longer have to fear being raped. Knowing women won’t be abused at home by their father/husband/boyfriend who needs to feel powerful. Knowing that a woman’s body is finally her own to do with as she wishes without the government stepping in and setting limitations.
And knowing that where a man can walk topless, so can she also walk topless. If you don’t like it, then look away, but don’t expect us to hide.
I’m new here – just signed up this evening after lurking over at Kos. Just wanted to say that this site and the civility and the true interest in intellectual debate really feels like a breath of fresh air to me. I have so much respect for people who want to learn and to understand other groups/races/cultures/religions, etc., without simply putting down things they don’t understand. That is what being progressive means to me, and it is so nice to find a place where others seem to feel the same way.
Not an earth-shaking post, I know….but I’m a newby to blogging and am kind of intimidated by the whole thing. 🙂
Sue
Welcome, all comments don’t need to be earthshaking-and most aren’t(such as this one. They don’t even half to be original, sometimes a ditto will do to let someone know you’ve read and agreed with them and they know that people are reading what they wrote.
When I started posting here(which I very, very rarely did at Kos) it was immediately so much more comfortable and welcoming…and now I post daily and post and post and post.
And the team of Boo and susan is what makes this site the welcoming gathering place that it has become. Along with all the people who diary and post who have kept any disagreements respectful and non-combative. Which allows everyone the freedom to post what they really feel without expecting a shitstorm to descend on them.
Well my “specialty” if any is on foreign politics and foreign affairs… and therefore let me say that the U.S. has always been backwards when it comes to female representation in politics.
Despite what many Americans think of Islam, several Muslim countries have a history of powerful female politicians.
Let’s have a look at countries (last 20 years) with a female head of state. In countries like Holland and Denmark, which are like GB, there is a female titular head of state (monarchy). The list below refers to just de facto heads of state (x = currently in power):
I should mention here that Bangladesh, a majority Muslim country, has had an elected female head of state for the past 15 years!
Now seriously, how many of you knew three members of the above list? Or five? Or all of them?
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was in office for 15 years.
Finland at one time had both a female PM and President and half the cabinet members were women.
And just for the record, Katalin Szili lost in the 2nd round yesterday to become President of Hungary, which is not the HOS but is still a powerful political position.
Oh yeah and Chile is almost guaranteed to have a female HOS later this year as the two leading contenders for president are both female.
And as for my new home in Romania, no female HOS but there are many powerful female politicians (had one run for president), female generals (military) and 3 female cabinet members (Sulfina Barbu, Monica Luisa Macovei and Monica Octavia Musca). Monica Macovei is the head of the Justice Dept.
Pax
Do I get to pat myself on the back for knowing most of this..not cause I know much of foreign affairs but because I follow how women do around the world compared to US women..and most people here would probably not even believe this and usually don’t when I happen to bring this up ..even told I was anti-american for suggesting this..like I was lying about. Another one of those don’t confuse me facts because America’s number one in everything..yeah right.
Definitely pat yourself on the back! I was just focusing on Heads of State but there are many powerful female politicians in countries around the world who influence policy and participate in the administration of their countries.
I know most Americans are spoonfed this pap that their country is #1 in all things. I myself am American and I’m proud of many of our accomplishments… but a sober look says we’re actually behind in many key elements, female representation and participation in government being one.
Pax