For some reason, women have been on my mind today. Millions of them.
First, in DC, the largest women's rights march ever took place today, with close to one million people coming together. It may have been the largest march of any kind ever. I saw some of it on C-Span. Men and women of all ages and races filled the Mall from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.
It was an interesting event. There was a look back at the history of the fight for the right to vote, the right to information about medical information, and the right to choose. There was commentary on current events such as Ashcroft, voting, and the upcoming election. And finally, there was a look to the future. Many of the older, well-known feminists were there to hand the movement over to a younger generation.
Some of the more memorable scenes that I recall: a sign in the crowd "Keep Your Rosaries Out Of My Ovaries," the woman who argued Roe vs. Wade telling what it was like the night before she went to the Supreme Court at age 27 (and won), another speaker asking if this generation wants to be remembered as the ones who had to apologize to their daughters for letting everything gained slip away, a reminder that women are 51% of the population and elect Democrats when they vote, and many pledges to work hard against increasing political attacks on women and their rights.
(I'll admit some bias here. When I lived in DC, the Women's Rights marches were the best of all that came through town. They were the largest in attendance, best organized, and well executed. Today, my Dad and sister were down there for me and all the women in our family.)
Later in the day, I made my way to the party in support of Kate Casa, James Pentland, and others recently fired by the Reformer. The River Garden was filled with supporters and well-wishers. I was able to overhear a group of older women in a half circle talking about the town and news. Very insightful and thoughtful comments. I thought "they would make a good select board."
This brought back memories of Granny D's speech from last year just after Eesha was fired. I re-read it and thought that we should point it out again for readers who may have missed it the first time around. Read Granny D's remarks here. She spoke about local news and local ownership of news, and the union effort at the Reformer.
The final woman of the day for me was Lise, struggling with an upgrade to a newer operating system.
What is common to all of these stories, to me, is struggle. Stuggle to mainatin a status quo, struggle to break free of a status quo, struggles to get by, and struggles to have fairness and equality. I wish it weren't so. My hope is that the positive energy in all of these women can somehow, magically, be shared. I hope it spreads. I hope that the struggles go away and the energy can be then put to proper, full use.
To all of these women, may your struggles be brief and your successes many.