“I haven’t ever liked the word feminist,” a woman said to me as I explained a funny story my son told his third-grade teacher calling me a feminist to her. “Why don’t you like it?” I asked. She replied, “It means you don’t like men and put them down;” I answered, “No that isn’t it at all. I love men but am pro-female trying to help women in all areas of inequality, especially in business and sports.”
I proceeded to give her examples of what I say and do hoping she will understand better:
* When I go to a car dealership to buy a new car, I specifically ask for their female car salesperson who can get the commission because we don’t have a pay equality law yet. Women traditionally get paid less than men.
* I am a survivor of #MeToo and support every female’s right to her own body and decisions about it.
* If I attend an SU Men’s Basketball Game, I commit to attending an SU Women’s Basketball Game. Women need fans as much as men do. They also need the revenue and exposure for NIL deals similar to men.
* On primary day, I voted for the female on the ballot because I knew she understands what females need when it comes to legislation better than her male counterpart. We need more females making policy decisions with us in mind.
* 120 women rode on two Women TIES buses to the Women’s March in DC in 2017, not to protest the new president, but to remind him that women make up 52% of the population and we stand up for our rights.
In light of this week’s Supreme Court decision and a fear that a convicted felon and rapist will possibly take over the reins of our beautiful democracy again, and as the Fourth of July reminds us, freedom can be fleeting, I vow to be more vocal about my personal and political beliefs even if it decreases my reader or follower numbers.
I have written these Wednesday Wisdom blogs since 2005, dedicated to inspiring, educating, and promoting women. I will continue to do that but with the stakes high this November, I pledge to report on more female platform issues we must be aware of before election day.
Today’s Wednesday Wisdom invites you to consider the mantra I lay before you below in italics. Please think about yourself, your daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and future female relatives when you have to decide, say, buy, or vote on something that benefits women in the future. If you have news or events you want me to attend with you or promote related to this topic, please send it to me and invite other women along with you. We are most powerful in numbers.
I honestly believe the only way the world will change for women is if women change the world for women. It is up to us. Happy Independence Day 2024.
Women TIES 