Showing posts with label International Womens Month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label International Womens Month. Show all posts

Monday, March 18, 2019

The ERA: It's Taking More Than An Era, Why?

The proposed Equal Rights Amendment is really quite simple. It has three sentences--the first is the statement that requires equal rights, the second assures that Congress will enforce it, and the third is simply a deadline for when it would take effect:


Section 1. Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the
date of ratification.


The ERA was first proposed in 1923 by the National Women's Party.




You read that right: We are on Year 96 of trying to get the ERA passed.


Women won the right to vote in 1920, but that did not guarantee any further rights.


It took until 1972 for the ERA to be close to passing. 38 states were supposed to ratify the amendment by 1982. In 2017 Nevada ratified it, in 2018 Illinois ratified it, and in January 2019 Virginia came close but failed to ratify. But even today, there are 11 states that haven't ratified it. They are: Alabama, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, Louisiana, Utah, Mississippi, and Missouri. Has your state ratified the ERA? Check here: https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/era-ratification-map/ Some states have attempted to rescind (take back) their ratifications, but it appears that is not an option.



                               Women demonstrating for equal rights, picture taken c. late 1960s


Amending the Constitution is a two-step process. First, the Congress must propose the amendment by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. After proposal, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. Organizations like the National Organization of Women (NOW) began a hard push for the ERA in 1970. And, at the same time, there was enough pushback from some women (yes, from women) to stop it from going through the ratification system.




Why would women deny themselves equal rights? Good question. In the 1970s, while there were strong women and men who advocated for the ERA, some women at that time raised concerns that women would be drafted into military service (in the 1970s, there was a draft, or a required time in our armed services), that there would be no more male or female only public toilets, that it would undermine women who chose not to work for pay, that it would would weaken families, that women would be required to do traditionally male dominated careers, or be forced to undergo unwanted abortions, and none of this was true. If you read the wording of the amendment, all it does is require that women and men have equal rights.


Today, there are still women who campaign against the ERA. But these women are often wealthy, privileged, and comfortable, have always been and will always be. They may or may not have well-paying jobs or have husbands or parents who support them financially, and think they don't need any amendment that assures them of their rights. They can't identify with women who have faced discrimination, harassment, or violence, because they can't imagine themselves in a similar situation. Here is an example of someone fighting the ERA:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/this-woman-just-derailed-the-equal-rights-amendment-yet-again/2019/01/31/9e32ec22-2551-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html?utm_term=.9bbec9abf851


How long will it take to pass the ERA? It's hard to believe we've been waiting so long. Maybe this is the year. Let's hope so.                                                                                                       









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Monday, March 11, 2019

The Rebel

How many times have you thought: I hate school. I wish I didn't have to be here today. I'm bored. Why does any of this matter? And, what's for lunch?

Now try to imagine being in fear for your life because you go to school.

Malala Yousafzai was born July 12, 1997, and lived in the Swat Valley of Pakistan with her parents and two younger brothers. Her father was an English teacher at a local school.

                                                                    The country of Pakistan; Swat Valley is in yellow.

Malala did the unthinkable: She went to school. She spoke about hiding her books under her bed in case the Taliban came to search her home.

Why was it unthinkable?

Because Malala is a girl.

The Taliban tries to enforce a strict law against females going to school, among other restrictions such as no music and no television. They say that girls need only to read their holy book, the Qu'ran, to learn anything and everything they need to know, and should look to the males in their family for any guidance at any time.
                                                                                      No Music??????


More on the Taliban:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11451718

and on their view of women: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban_treatment_of_women

When they learned that girls were defying the rules, the Taliban set about destroying school buildings by blowing them up. As the girls' schools disappeared, some boys' schools also closed in solidarity. To continue to keep the Taliban unaware that there was still schooling going on, girls would say they were going to a sewing class or a religious class when it was actually 'regular' school. Students brought sewing projects in a bag, with their books hidden underneath. They would hear lectures from instructors during class time, and if there were any Taliban nearby, local children playing outside would alert the students.

                         Compare this to a classroom in which you have been taught. Were there more supplies? Desks? Posters?


"I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor as long as I can attend school. All I want is education. And I'm afraid of no one." -Malala Yousafzai.

Why would anyone try to ban females from receiving an education? Because it keeps them under the power of the Taliban. If you know how to take care of yourself, have skills to get a job to support yourself, and are aware of the world in general, you take the power for yourself.

In other words, knowledge is power.

In 2008, the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) was writing about events in Pakistan, but wanted a more personal view. They contacted Malala's father and asked if he knew a student who might write for them. He recommended one of his older female students, who began to write a blog about her life, but her family became fearful of retribution, so she dropped out of the project. Thus, 11 year old Malala became its writer. It did not identify her by her true name, in an effort to keep her safe. It's interesting to note that her name, Malala, means 'grief-stricken.' Her alias for the blog was Gul Makai, which means 'Cornflower.' Read some excerpts here: 

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7834402.stm

Malala also posted her thoughts on Facebook, exposing her to more danger.

On October 9, 2012, on the bus on her way home from school, the Taliban made the bus halt, got on, and shot Malala in the head, as well as shooting two other children that were hit in the shoulders. The Taliban left her for dead.



                                                                            Candlelight vigil for Malala after the shooting


Malala had her initial surgery in Pakistan and then was flown to England for further treatment, where she recovered well. The Taliban has vowed that they still intend to kill her if they get the chance. She and her family have now settled in Birmingham, England.


 
 
"The terrorists showed what frightened them the most: A girl with a book."  -Ban Ki Moon, U.N. Secretary-General

After recovering from her injury, Malala continues to speak out against oppression and war in interviews as well as meeting with world leaders. She urges Western countries to send books, not guns, to Pakistan and other school-hungry countries.


To appreciate this young woman's maturity and grace, listen to her speech to the UN. in fall, 2013:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/pakistans_malala_shot_by_taliban_takes_education_plea_to_u.n
Imagine being so powerful---and so threatening to the Taliban---at the age of 16.

Think about how much you complain about school for a few minutes, and then think about the oppression that keeps 5 million children out of school in Pakistan. Imagine being disappointed when there's a semester break because you're not sure the school will reopen afterwards.



How much power do you already have? Would you be as brave as Malala in continuing to insist on the right to education for all? How can you make a difference? 

Starting now, keep Malala in mind as you go through your school day, and remember: there are people who would love the routine of going to classes every day with no fear and no restrictions. Value your education, and do your best.


Malala Yousafzai has been awarded the following national and international honors:
"I raise up my voice--not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard." -Malala Yousafzaia.  

Malala has written a book of her story titled "I Am Malala," which is available for sale at bookstores, or look for it in your local library.






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Monday, March 13, 2017

International Womens Month

International Womens Day was Wednesday, March 8, 2017, but the whole month is a good time to reflect on women, women's rights, and progress we have and have not made towards the equal rights and treatment of women.


Did you know? As late as the mid 1800s....






  • Married women were legally dead in the eyes of the law
  • Women were not allowed to vote
  • Women had to submit to laws when they had no voice in their formation
  • Married women had no property rights
  • Husbands had legal power over and responsibility for their wives to the extent that they could imprison or beat them with impunity
  • Divorce and child custody laws favored men, giving no rights to women
  • Women had to pay property taxes although they had no representation in the levying of these taxes
  • Most occupations were closed to women and when women did work they were paid only a fraction of what men earned
  • Women were not allowed to enter professions such as medicine or law
  • Women had no means to gain an education since no college or university would accept women students
  • With only a few exceptions, women were not allowed to participate in the affairs of the church
  • Women were robbed of their self-confidence and self-respect, and were made totally dependent on men
    •         -Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1848






    The question of whether women were citizens of the United States is subject to discussion, since their rights clearly were not the same as men and they did not have the right to vote until 1920.
     
    Another argument against expansion of citizenship rights has been that “natural law” or “religious law” should supersede claims for political rights. Women, it was argued through the early 20th century, should not be given the right to vote because it was seen as “unnatural” and against the intentions of God. One young woman worker on strike during the winter of 1909-10 for higher pay and safer working conditions was arrested and dragged before a judge who, sentencing her to jail time, informed her that she was “on strike against God and Nature.” Similar arguments have been made more recently against extending employment and marriage rights to gay people.
    -Anneliese Orleck, Professor of History, Dartmouth College



     
    • Women have served in the military in countries all over the world, defending their countries alongside men.
    • Currently about 15% of all people serving in our military, or more than 165,000, are women.
    • Here are some facts about women in the United States military: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/24/us/military-women-glance/index.html
    In case you thought the struggle for women was over many years ago, consider:
    In the 1970s, which is not even 50 years ago:
    • Women still were not paid the same for men doing the exact same job. Why? The excuse was, men were usually the primary breadwinner in the family and thus merited more pay.
    • Women were expected to wear dresses to work. Once there was a slight relaxation of this common expectation, pants could be worn, but only in the form of a pants suit with a particular type of blouse. The clothing of a woman was much more important than that of a man.
    • Even women in more professional careers were expected to make coffee for meetings simply because they were women. 
    • If a woman got married, she was expected to quit her job to stay home and run her household.
    • If a woman stayed working after marriage, she was certainly expected to quit her job once she became pregnant. It was assumed she would be staying home with her child.
    • Women who returned to work after having a baby, having someone else care for the child, were looked down upon.
    • If a woman's husband was offered a job in another city, it was assumed she would then be leaving with him: There was no discussion about what she wanted or whether it was good for her career.


    • Women in traditionally male careers were not to be trusted, such as a woman doctor, attorney, engineer. There was thoughts of: Why get a degree when you're just going to get married and stay home anyway? In fact, even completing a high school diploma was considered a waste for girls until the 1950s or so.
    • In some jobs, the employer could (and did) give a pregnant woman different duties so that she wouldn't be seen by the public once she started to 'show.'
    • Also in terms of pregnancy, young women who became pregnant outside of marriage were often sent away to have their babies and give them up; friends were told the girl had gone on a trip or to live with someone several states away for a while, and in some cases their parents disowned them altogether, 'kicked them out.' There was no punishment for the father of the baby.
    • Girls wore dresses to school, not pants and certainly not jeans.
    • Protests were common, with women demanding equal pay and respect. But women who participated were thought of as radical.
    • Women who voiced their opinions, whether at home, at work, or in public, were 'troublemakers.'
    The U.S. Dept of Labor statistics on women in the workforce may surprise you: https://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/stats_data.htm




     
     









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