Seeing as it's Firework and Bonfire Night, I thought I'd set off a sparkler of mine own!
Forgive me for speaking to my women readers, and I don't mean to alienate any of the chaps who drop by here, but we women still have much to learn and even further to go and grow in so many countries -- ...I mean in terms of changing lives, celebrating who we are and what we have achieved... We need to look out for others, and continue to strive for ours and others' rightful equality of opportunities...
We must never forget how far we have come... and how far we are yet to go, mes bloggy dames and desmoiselles... Et les messieurs aussi.
It is only just over a decade ago that I was in a job interview at the factory my sweet and funny, much-missed, late father worked in for most of his adult life, and the chauvinistic Personnel Manager, on hearing that my son was only 3 years of age, admonished me that women really should be in the home, and not in the workplace.
He told my dad that he hoped to have something for me in the future as he had been very impressed by my performance at interview! The cheek of the chauvinist swinehund!
Did you shake the tree today, this week, this month, this year, lassies and lads?
19 comments:
Oh, sometimes I'm so embarrassed to be labeled an American. I hope all your non-American readers know lots of us over here think Pat Robertson is a scary, sad, stupid individual. Lordy, lordy.
I've just had a big fight over at PowderRoomGrafitti with some guy (I assume it's a guy), over the US "helping" Afghan women and how we'll all be sorry when the troops pull out and those women go back to being treated the way they were. Much as I'd love to believe that the troops went in to help the Afghan woman rid themselves of the Taliban I rather doubt it and am insulted that this guy thought anyone would fall for that. (He was also rude and condescending too.)
...moved me to tears, as I rocked-out in my own chair....
Poignant...
(All but that last ridiculous quote by P.R.)
Let's go shake some trees!!!
That picture is good to look at.
What Diane said. Word-for-word.
Hope you are well, Fhina. Thanks for the thoughtful post.
Bloggus
XXOOXX
Fhina, what a fine tribute to womanhood. I too was denied a job back in the 70's because I was pregnant! Ah!
Well, let's keep our flags flying.
Is that you in that pic, Fhina? :))) Gorgeous thing, you....xoxo
I think feminism is dying a slow death and it makes me so mad. I have done my best to teach my daughters about how far we've come and how important it is that we strive to continue to improve conditions for women, but when I look around I'm not so sure we aren't backsliding in certain areas.
I agree with all those who've commented above, especially with Elizabeth. Women still aren't paid the same as men for the same job, there are far fewer women executives and very, very few men take paternity leave even when offered. And that's just in the West. Majority of women in the rest of the world don't even have the resemblances of human rights.
I'm off to shake some trees!
xx
There has been a lot of rhetoric soe cosmetic changes but very little progress in my lifetime. Go girls.
Hi Fhina,
As one of your male readers I ought to know when to keep my mouth shut .... but
I believe it is impossible to have it all; there will always be a price to pay for motherhood, (unless and until science finds an alternative) and the price comes in a million and one guises. There is still great inequality but we mustn't presume that all women aspire to the same kind of emancipation.
I'm shaking those trees! Still shaking them...
Wonderful post!
I feel the shaking. My fall leaves are flying in the wind. I'd write more but I took a day off work to take care of my grandson while his mother goes for a job interview. Well, it's only a small gesture but it is kind of in the right direction. Yes?
Don't be too hot in the pursuit of equality. Just imagine if women also got man-flu! Just recovering from a nasty bout at present - touch and go.
Was the date of that comment really 1992? Sounds more like it would have been said in 1892! Go, girls, one and all!
We're shaking the tree in the FF household - Mr FF is a strident supporter of equal rights for all - be they men, women or children.
Did Pat Robertson actually say that!? Omigawd...!
My husband died when my daughter was only four years old, and I had to go back to work. It was unbelievable the chauvinistic attitudes from employers, landlords, bank managers... Now in the 21st Century the women are the employers, landlords, bank managers...
When my daughter was growing up, I told her women can do anything men can do, and to get her education. She now has a Master's Degree and a good career.
In Canada, half of the medical students and law students are women.
Great post!
Well, I had a very interesting conversation about the suffragettes today. We've made progress, yes; but why are most of us STILL always in charge of dinner? (An example which comes to mind because it is not, unfortunately, cooking itself while I read blogs!)
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