In case you missed it, and many people did, yesterday was International Women’s Day. The campaign this year was Balance For Better, which they managed to transcribe as #BalanceForBetter. Don’t get me started on the hashtags. Again with the hashtag. Anyway, the theme was to encourage people to build a gender-balanced world.
Now, this is a glorious concept. A gender-balanced world. A world in which all people are treated as equals. This, is how it should be.
Without question. People are equals. There it is. Let’s all do it, and I can quit writing now.
If only it were that simple. If only we had equality for people of all genders, colors, races, and gender identifications.
Some folk take on the argument that we are not equals. There are those smarter, faster, stronger, funnier, whatever. And yes, I agree. In our talents and gifts, we are unique. But, as a body standing there, one person should have the exact same rights as the next.
If you are allowed to pee in that toilet, I should be allowed to pee there too. Not at the same time obviously. But eventually . If you can order, eat, and pay for dinner in that restaurant, I should be allowed to do the same. And on.
But there are bigger, much bigger things. Like, unequal education, pay, personal rights. I think the statistic I heard on TV yesterday was that 4 out of 5 men in Africa beat their wives. It is the accepted way of life there. The norm.
It shouldn’t happen 4 out of 5 times, or ANY times. ANY where.
I love that there are movements such as this. Where all around the world, women (and men) united to say that THIS really matters. THIS is how it should be. But the change doesn’t happen just because we say so.
Yesterday, I stood in line after putting fuel in my car. Right here in little old Preble County. And Barney Preble in line, in front of me, was talking to Fred Preble. And Fred said to Barney, “Well, I told the wife…. blah, blah, blah,….”
That is one of the phrases that grates me like nails on a chalkboard. It is like “The Wife” is simply another object that that particular male owns. “Whelp. There’s the refrigerator, there’s the television, oh, and over there? There’s the wife.”
Yeah.
Well.
The wife has a name.
I have a name.
We all have a name.
We all have a place here too.
As I said, I think the movement is a very good thing. A great idea. You can read more about it here. https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme
But I am not sure what we do to make it happen. I am not sure how we effect change.
I don’t know if we will ever know all the people, by all their names.
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“Physics depends on a universe infinitely centered on an equals sign.”
― Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
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“This is my doctrine: Give every other human being every right you claim for yourself.”
― Robert G. Ingersoll, The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child
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“We may live under different roofs,
But we share the same sunlight.”
― Luffina Lourduraj
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