Feministas in the 21st Century

by wildbynature2013

a monthly post
This site is dedicated to helping us reset our Zero Carbon Footprint

“You’ve come a long way, baby” says the 1968 Virginia Slims cigarette ad. The very fact that the term “baby” is used, in itself disqualifies the source of this “compliment.” There is no place I would rather live in the 21st century, but come on! There is some serious fine tuning that must take place.

Allow me to list a few:

1. Women in prison: almost exclusively poor women of color. Orange is the New Black is a Netflix series that exposes the prison system via our protagonist Piper Chapman. It is based on the real life experience of author Piper Kerman, who has become a formidable advocate for reforming the women’s prison system.
   Another exposé is from the HBO series Vice, Season 5 Episode 12, “Women Behind Bars,” May 2017. Question: With all these mommies in jail, who will take care of their little children?
2. Women’s contraception: Within 3 months of going public, Viagra appeared on every health insurance plan, with an option for Cialis. Yet, since going public around 1960, birth control for women is still not covered on many health insurance plans nationwide. Question: Who are are these horny men going to romance when they do not want to make babies?
3. Sharia Law American style: Parts of this nation are all in a tizzy about Sharia Law. Well, let’s take a closer look at ourselves. Nothing speaks more of Sharia Law creeping up on us than the photo of a bunch of creepy old white men in the US Senate deciding to denounce women’s health care and birth control. Well un-gentlemen, it looks like you might get your way.
   

   U.S. Senators working on the Senate version of the Republican health care bill. Top row, from left: Rob Portman of Ohio, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. Middle row: Cory Gardner of Colorado, John Barrasso of Wyoming, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota and Tom Cotton of Arkansas. Bottom row: Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas. | Official senate portraits

   Question: Why are we still tribalizing via religion?

4. Dear Pro-Lifers, you are now demoted to “Birthers” due to the fact that you typically only insist that a baby be born, while you seem to be against helping poor women with prenatal care, early childhood education, free and reduced price breakfast and lunch programs, affordable day care, livable wage so parents do not need a handout, women’s health.
   

   The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne 1850

   Question: If you really care about babies, then why not start with sex education for pre-conception decision making, and support babies all the way to college?

5. There are plenty more examples, but you catch my drift.

On the PLUS side, we Have come a long way!! I was visiting an old book store and found Blondes and Brunets, by Dr. Katherine Blackford, 1916. Dr. Katherine demonstrates that one’s hair color is “an infallible indication of character.”

Blondes and Brunets 1916

Preface, Page 6 Blondes and Brunets

Blondes and Brunets, 1916

Yikes! Compare that to the outstanding Hanna Rosin who penned The End of Men, the Rise of Women,  2017. Very bad title, it should be closer to The Women’s Renaissance in the 21st Century. Hanna demonstrates by the numbers that women worldwide are stepping up.

The 2017 graduating class shows that women are graduating from college at the same rate as men for the first time ever. Women enter college at twice the rate of men and now graduate in 4 years instead of 6-7 years or never, depending on outside demands. Women are taking over science, medicine, and math disciplines. Women are showing up in engineering, aeronautics, and more. Women are starting the long political fight to take the Senate and the House. For specifics, you can reference our April 2016 post on the women’s renaissance worldwide: Prom 2016 and the Renaissance

And while you’re Fighting the Good Fight, you should look your best while maintaining your environmental integrity. 

Secondhand clothing diminishes several Environmental and Human Rights issues that are associated with haute couture.

To lighten your carbon footprint in these critical times, do not snub the strip mall pawn shop. I found this 925 silver ring for $35 at Double Eagle Loans Pawn Shop in Colorado Springs, CO.

Pawn shop ring, Fur Elise for ukulele

Double Eagle pawn shop, Colorado Spring

Wild By Nature, Inc.www.wildbynature.org