My impatient soul wants equality to already be part of our every day life. Here on Bloody Sunday, I am certain John Lewis would agree with me. I want people to find it oddly amusing that we even had months for sexes or races. However I know that will not happen in my lifetime. What is happening is waves of change ebb and flow over minds and hearts that slowly transform society over centuries. The people at the curl of that wave push and insist and agitate relentlessly. The American Women’s Movement is riding its Third wave; some even say the Fourth has begun. I am not so sure but I do know that the Second left a great beach, wax and a long board for the Third. I am riding that board today and want to acknowledge its origin.
The first Wave won US women the right to vote, to sign a contract, to own property and share in child custody. 1848 – 1920 both UK and US women were buttoning their boots, pushing their prams and giving Mr. Wilson no choice but to roll over.
The Second Wave insisted that women have access to credit, education, reproductive autonomy and business. From Roe V Wade, MS. Magazine, Daughters of Bilitis to NOW & NWPC; to the Lavender Menace, the Female Eunuch, the Feminine Mystique to the Politics of Sex ~ Biology would not dictate destiny anymore. Seizing the Statue of Liberty, fasting for the ERA, chaining to the Senate doors, women took a stand in new numbers. While no bras were burning, many bridges were and there was no going back. 1960 – 1982 was a big kahuna.
The Third Wave, 1990 – ? collected on her legacy and took off for freedom. New society, new problems, new tools, new timestamps. Leaving behind paper and ink, bulk mailing permits, clip boards, meeting in person, this new wave travels at the speed of light in text and tweets, in email and flickrs; online, not in line. A thousand signatures delivered in a day with no stop at the congressional mailroom awaiting anthrax screening or paper jam on the fax. A Meet-up, a webinar, a skype, a fan page is the new collection plate for the collective consciousness.
Being born in 1948 was one of my best ideas. I was in London in 1965, Mardi Gras in 1969, marching in DC 1971 for choice and on the case for the ERA in 1982. Today I am on 7 websites, 4 facebook pages, 2 twitter accounts and my own youtube channel. I have surfed the Second Wave and now surf the Third. I felt at home then, and at home now. I see the differences and similarities. I love the diversity and new uniforms. As I heard Gloria Steinem say to the Second Wave in 2006, you have to get over the ink, the piercing and wearing less clothes. She was right – feminists lead their culture not hide.
Being in two waves, I can tell you that the problems are entirely different and some solutions are the same. The number one thing facing the Third Wave is safety. From date-rape to domestic violence. Every college girl today knows that she needs to park her car on campus under a lamppost and try to get classes in daylight. While the Second fought for credit, the Third must deal with unthinkable debt. College loans take longer for a woman to payback at her diminished earning power (White 77, Black 69, Latina 59).
The Third Wave is joining in the evolving consciousness in recognizing that we cannot take on one problem at a time. We are all cultural, social, racial composites and must advance as integral individuals. We cannot ask if we would vote as women or vote as Blacks and Latinas, we must vote as human beings who want equality for all. We are all bloggers, poets, teachers, students, surfers of humanity and see clearly that NO ONE IS EQUAL UNTIL EVERYONE IS EQUAL.
To the Second Wave, who have not made the transition to the Third Wave’s ways, let me say the US Women’s Movement is alive and well. You only have to grab your board and get online, google feminist, join facebook and search for NOW or ERA. Spend a couple of hours at RHRealitycheck.org, Change.org, Feministing.com, SheWrites.com, care.org, feministblogs.org and you will know EXACTLY where the women’s movement is. There is plenty of room, jump in, the water is rad.
To the Third Wave, we are all in this together and, though some of us look like we are retired, there is no time to retire and, for that matter, who can afford to retire? We all have the same national economy and dismal health care inequities. Show us the new technology and how to use it effectively. For many of us being political and informed from a keyboard will be liberating.
Second Wave women are rightfully worried about losing ground and Third Wave women are paddling – it is time to pull together! It is time to see one another, love one another and find common ground. Maybe biology is no longer destiny for American women but this year the US has slipped from 69th to 74th in women in leadership, 1/3 of women are sexually assaulted and there is no Fair Paycheck Act to close the deal on the Fair Pay Act. As Representative Carolyn Maloney says, Rumors of Our Progress have Been Greatly Exaggerated.
But make no mistake these three waves with their different problems, tools, and methods are collecting momentum. Joining hands, teaching one another, acknowledging 2010 together, it is a force to be reckoned with. Hang Ten, the surf is up!
The Second Wave insisted that women have access to credit, education, reproductive autonomy and business. From Roe V Wade, MS. Magazine, Daughters of Bilitis to NOW & NWPC; to the Lavender Menace, the Female Eunuch, the Feminine Mystique to the Politics of Sex ~ Biology would not dictate destiny anymore. Seizing the Statue of Liberty, fasting for the ERA, chaining to the Senate doors, women took a stand in new numbers. While no bras were burning, many bridges were and there was no going back. 1960 – 1982 was a big kahuna.
The Third Wave, 1990 – ? collected on her legacy and took off for freedom. New society, new problems, new tools, new timestamps. Leaving behind paper and ink, bulk mailing permits, clip boards, meeting in person, this new wave travels at the speed of light in text and tweets, in email and flickrs; online, not in line. A thousand signatures delivered in a day with no stop at the congressional mailroom awaiting anthrax screening or paper jam on the fax. A Meet-up, a webinar, a skype, a fan page is the new collection plate for the collective consciousness.
Being born in 1948 was one of my best ideas. I was in London in 1965, Mardi Gras in 1969, marching in DC 1971 for choice and on the case for the ERA in 1982. Today I am on 7 websites, 4 facebook pages, 2 twitter accounts and my own youtube channel. I have surfed the Second Wave and now surf the Third. I felt at home then, and at home now. I see the differences and similarities. I love the diversity and new uniforms. As I heard Gloria Steinem say to the Second Wave in 2006, you have to get over the ink, the piercing and wearing less clothes. She was right – feminists lead their culture not hide.
Being in two waves, I can tell you that the problems are entirely different and some solutions are the same. The number one thing facing the Third Wave is safety. From date-rape to domestic violence. Every college girl today knows that she needs to park her car on campus under a lamppost and try to get classes in daylight. While the Second fought for credit, the Third must deal with unthinkable debt. College loans take longer for a woman to payback at her diminished earning power (White 77, Black 69, Latina 59).
The Third Wave is joining in the evolving consciousness in recognizing that we cannot take on one problem at a time. We are all cultural, social, racial composites and must advance as integral individuals. We cannot ask if we would vote as women or vote as Blacks and Latinas, we must vote as human beings who want equality for all. We are all bloggers, poets, teachers, students, surfers of humanity and see clearly that NO ONE IS EQUAL UNTIL EVERYONE IS EQUAL.
To the Second Wave, who have not made the transition to the Third Wave’s ways, let me say the US Women’s Movement is alive and well. You only have to grab your board and get online, google feminist, join facebook and search for NOW or ERA. Spend a couple of hours at RHRealitycheck.org, Change.org, Feministing.com, SheWrites.com, care.org, feministblogs.org and you will know EXACTLY where the women’s movement is. There is plenty of room, jump in, the water is rad.
To the Third Wave, we are all in this together and, though some of us look like we are retired, there is no time to retire and, for that matter, who can afford to retire? We all have the same national economy and dismal health care inequities. Show us the new technology and how to use it effectively. For many of us being political and informed from a keyboard will be liberating.
Second Wave women are rightfully worried about losing ground and Third Wave women are paddling – it is time to pull together! It is time to see one another, love one another and find common ground. Maybe biology is no longer destiny for American women but this year the US has slipped from 69th to 74th in women in leadership, 1/3 of women are sexually assaulted and there is no Fair Paycheck Act to close the deal on the Fair Pay Act. As Representative Carolyn Maloney says, Rumors of Our Progress have Been Greatly Exaggerated.
"see clearly that NO ONE IS EQUAL UNTIL EVERYONE IS EQUAL..." Yes, yes, yes. One thousand times, yes! Today this truth made my eyes sting with tears. They were hot, impatient, urgent tears for equality. "If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you believe that your liberation is bound up in mine then let us work together." This aboriginal woman's saying is the mantra of my wave. We must identify and snuff out the chains that bind, even when our privilege prevents us from feeling the pressure on our own wrists.
Posted by: Melissa | March 08, 2010 at 07:00 PM