Feminism: Then & Now

by Alanna Morley

I'm not a feminist but…

It has been years since the ashes of bras have been swept up and the banners of equality were rolled tight and stored away. To long a time since women rallied together to make a difference in our communities…where are we now? Has time changed so much that we are just picking and choosing mainstream battles like abortions rights, same-sex marriages, or political equality? These issues easily garner a lot of media attention, but few of us actually participate.

But who am I to talk?

I can't say I am an active or a relatively vocal piece of the women's movement. In fact, I haven't really supported any kind of movement since donating $20 to a breast cancer relay - which required no running on my part. But let's be honest here, when was the last time you heard about a femi-rally …does Lillith Fair count? And I didn't even go to that. Oh, wait! There was that Million Mom March, but that was about children and gun violence. Ladies, when are we going to put ourselves first again? I know, I know, you have to work, take care of the house, carpool the kids, make dinner, and organize for tomorrow and do a million other tasks piled around the house. I do too. In fact, I have been pushing off this article for days because I used all my spare minutes earlier in the month. And in those few extra moments before I go to bed I spend it with my husband (and yes, the TV). I think I owe myself that luxury at the end of the day. I'm sure you do too.

I guess I am just spreading myself too thin, not enough to fit into my skinny jeans, but enough to wonder why so much is on my plate. And then it hit me. It was the women's movement, yes, them, those bra burning hussies that paved the way for us embryos years ago. Sure they handed me all kinds of freedoms, like the right to vote, the right to work outside the home, social equality, free-choice - I have, literally, the right and ability to create my own destiny. But along with it, they could have given me a few more hours in the day.

I think we live in a world where women know they have power. Everything I could have ever wanted has been in front of me since the day I was born, and I never had to think about it. I don't "feel" oppressed. I am strong, independent, and able - I don't "feel" in competition with a man or society. Maybe that's my problem; I've got things too easy (well, besides having to deal with kids, husbands, family, friends, money, pets, cramps and bloating).

So where does that leave a twenty-something woman in the millennium? Maybe we need to broaden our base a little and explore the world beyond our borders. I'll admit it; We need to make movement beyond of the context of our communities, beyond abortion rights, same-sex marriages, and political equalityI am no stranger to current or cultural affairs, and every once in a while I'll catch a snippet of something that pangs at my heart: genital mutilations, almost 400 women missing and murdered in Mexico, human trafficking, religious oppression. We need to raise our own awareness about the women we don't know in society. So where do we start? Well, let's do it together. I know we don't have a lot of time in the day, that's clear, but I just spent 30 seconds online and discovered this, by accident, while looking at celebrity news (another vice - I'm not perfect).

http://www.un.org/womenwatch

So let's take 5 minutes and see what's going on in "our" world each day. That's it. We are just re-educating for now. Let's learn about ourselves beyond the mainstream, and really see what's going on. We need to make movement beyond of the context of our communities, beyond abortion rights, same-sex marriages, and political equality. We have to look beyond North America and our freedoms and help out somewhere else.

Will I be the spokesperson for a new women's movement...no. I am just throwing a pebble into the pond from my soapbox hoping a wave will ripple into action. Actually, I'm just hoping to trigger some dialogue, because there isn't enough talking going on.

Oh... and my Victoria Secret's bra? don't believe I'm burning THAT one anytime soon - do you know how hard it is to find a comfortable bra?

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