I honestly don't remember what made me think about this lately, but I began to re-research women's suffrage.
In my inadvertent quest to have outfitting for nearly every decade (apparently), I had not really looked into much of the 1910's. I was looking into the style & the events of the time. And I was super pulled into the women's suffrage movement.
Right now, I want to let you know that I do not live my life with politics in the forefront. Probably because so many folks have taken it to such extremes, it's been a turnoff for years. Just the ugly mudslinging of "human rights" folks & "Christian" folks. (Yes...I put those in quotation marks - neither "side" is acting like what they supposedly represent.) I'm also a realist; an optimistic realist, yet still a realist. I can see where there are positives of the ideals of both "sides", as well as the downfalls of the ideals of both "sides". Having it go all one way will never work for good.
I am so against the koolaid drinkers. They just absorb whatever they are told & just become parrots of what is put in front of them without larger research on their part. And that's an insult to parrots!
Don't forget, I'm all about this coming together thing, wanting both sides to meet in the center aisle, pour the red & blue koolaid into a great big vat & make a lovely purple color.
Purple politics is what I go by. And...I don't rub it in people's faces.
Sorry...got off on a bit of a tangent. I digress...
*ahem*
I'm going to make a confession right now. I need you to stick it out with me. OK?
As many of you know, I am a PASTOR'S WIFE. In United Methodism, the pastors are on an itinerant system & are appointed. Technically the appointment lasts year-to-year, but generally will be at least 3 years or so (can be longer - we're in our 6th year at our current church). Keep this in mind when I say that the pastors & their families tend to get moved fairly often, and generally to new communities, even in different parts of the state.
I'm incredibly right-brained (which should surprise no one), and I'm easily distracted by squirrels &/or shiny things. Plus, I'm a major procrastinator. So I forget to do major things sometimes because my brain wheels are turning & creating things in my head...I...well...just forget.
When I was 18, I registered to vote because I could. And I voted for a while, trying very hard to know what I was voting on. Like seriously considering.
Then my hubby answered a call to ministry & we began our journey into him being appointed to churches in the Missouri United Methodist itinerant system. When we started heading to new communities, registering to vote would slip my mind until it was literally time to vote. That wasn't enough time. I would get really frustrated with myself, vow to change that the next day, then my right brain would kick in...*sigh*
However, I realized this as I was looking back into women's suffrage.
I realized what these women went thru to get the right to vote. People! They were beaten, arrested, fined, spat upon, insulted. They went thru so much just to get a voice.
These wonderfully rebellious women who stood their ground, and spoke up, was a tremendous act to be able to fully claim their rights of citizenship! This is not well covered in schools or in conversation. I took for granted what fight was fought for me to have this right to use. And I'm embarrassed to say that...but I am. Because I'm human.
I won't be one of those people who will shame you if you don't vote...but you don't have the right to complain if you don't use your voice. I would complain about the complainers who use their 1st amendment right for major disrespect & personal attacks...but I also was careful to not complain where I didn't use my voice.
Today, as it turns out, is Women's Equality Day! We were given the right to VOTE on August 26, 1920! No wonder the flappers felt so liberated!
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| A greeting I got from Facebook for Women's Equality Day! |
This is something amazing to celebrate! We are finally getting to a place where women are more respected. It's only taken 95 years or so.
And we've come a long way, baby. We are moms, business owners, CEO's, senators, part of congress, pastors, artists, speakers, respected journalists & writers, idealists, welders, mechanics, technicians, engineers, gamers, code writers, bakers, soldiers/sailors, pilots, doctors, nurses, presidents of boards, serving on boards...we are in so many positions of respect & authority these days. And? We can vote!
As I had to reread what we went thru to get to this point, my woman's heart swelled with pride. We are people. We are all people. We should all be treated as people.
And...if you are a citizen, I highly recommend getting registered to share your voice with your voting rights. Many fought way too hard for those of us, in the present, to not be doing so.
Although I didn't realize today was Women's Equality Day, until today, I felt the push to go ahead & finally get registered again. And I did it yesterday. Strangely, in that moment, I felt liberated!
I am an American citizen, and I am going to use my voting powers for good!
No, this doesn't mean I'm going to rub my thought process of politics in your faces as much as many of you do in mine...but I will continue to keep it real. I want to challenge many of you to think, to research, to actually look into the "other side" of your views. And then, know it's about the greater good of the people...not just you.
I am a woman, I am an American, and I am once again a voter. Hear me roar!!!
So this is a perfect day to encourage any of you who haven't yet to step up & register, too!
*UPDATE: My daughter registered to vote today! WOOT! Preparing to use her voice being an American citizen! Way to celebrate 95 years of women voting!
Oh! And?
HAPPY WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY!!
Stay tuned...
God Bless, AM~Erica
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