Women Are the Solution!

I have waited my whole life for this. As a little girl growing up in the 1960s, I remember my mother and other neighborhood moms petitioning the PTA to allow girls to wear pants to school. Society justified paying men higher wages and salaries because THEY HAD FAMILIES TO SUPPORT. On TV, I watched protests against the Vietnam War and protests to support the Black Power movement. In elementary school, we participated in activities to celebrate the first Earth Day in 1970. As a teen, I watched the push for the Equal Rights Amendment, and as a young woman, I witnessed its failure to pass. It all made an impression and influenced the woman I grew to become.

The Rise of Patriarchy

Since Neolithic Times, with the advent of farming and the agricultural revolution, the status of women spiraled into decline as the mother goddess was replaced by the warrior god. With a few cultural exceptions, women around the world suffered from personal, professional, and legal repression, along with physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the patriarchy. It is not that all men are bad – most are decent.

The “Me Too” Movement

The past year has been truly transformational. Between the first Woman’s March and the marches and rallies over the past weekend, the “Me Too” movement exploded – forever altering the status quo. Like many other sisters, I shared my personal “me too” experience on Facebook and elaborated upon my opinions in my blog: “Manning Up to the Truth.” It is critical that we maintain the momentum by continuing to speak truth to power and by encouraging women and girls to pursue their dreams and passions. We must demand equality in the workplace and in politics.

The Fall of Patriarchy

Balance is the key. The time has come for women to be equally and equitably represented in business and in government. We must transition to this status immediately. Female sensibilities will transform the nation by bringing compassion and a cooperative vision to the problems that plague our country and the world. We do not strive to supplant male influence, we strive to share influence. We seek fairness and justice. It is time to set petty disputes aside and demonstrate to the male hierarchy the progress that can be realized when all segments of humanity work together for the benefit of all, rather than the benefit of the 1%.

Ultimately, We Will Live or Die Together

Male and Female.
Black, Brown, and White.
Citizen and Immigrant.
Gay and straight.
Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Pagan, Humanist, and Everyone Else.

Historically, our leaders have maintained their dominance by keeping us divided: free vs. slave, rich vs. poor, urban vs. rural, red vs. blue, real America vs. the coastal elites. Lest we embrace our shared interests and values, we will perish. Where men have failed to reach across the aisle by embracing common concerns and challenges, I have faith that women can build the bridge between our differing ideologies by grasping hands and pulling each other out of the abyss.

We Are at a Turning Point in Humanity.

The environment is in a tenuous state. Will we be good stewards or reckless exploiters?

Nuclear weapons and hot-headed world leaders threaten global survival. Will we take a step back or push the button to ignite a nuclear holocaust?

Wealth inequality has decimated the middle and working class. Will we restore a balance to economic demographics or allow the elites to relegate the masses to serfdom?

The moment for action is now, and women are the solution. But ladies, do not be deceived. The male power structure will never voluntarily relinquish control. We must fight for our place at the table. We must persist. We must encourage our sisters who have been indoctrinated by fathers and husbands and societal or religious norms that pressure them to remain in submissive and subservient positions.

We must not allow this opportunity to pass!