SO Proud Tonight

Borrowed from:Isobel Carr. Photographer Unknown

Normally I try to keep politics and writing separate. Yes, I'm perfectly aware that my true feelings have a tendency to leak into my work. But if you've ever read any of my stuff, I'm sure you've guessed that I am a feminist.

I've actually been a feminist since I was a teen. Truth be told, I distanced myself for a lot of years when I found the feminist movement seemed less about women's rights than it seemed to be about being MORE equal. I happen to like men. I have male friends I adore, and like to coffee with.Guess what? My husband ALLOWS that! He allows me a lot. Part of the reasons why I married him. Anyway, I wasn't willing to view them as my enemy to get my point across. I saw a movement that no longer reflected my views. I viewed old school feminism as an aggressive, bad joke unto itself.

But the new feminist movement recognizes EVERYONE as equals, and I'm proud to support it. Men, women, gay, trans, children---we all deserve equality. I speak of it on my personal Facebook page. I feared I was one in a handful of people who cared.

Ever feel happy to be wrong? Today millions of people--men and women marched. I have the privilege to know a few of them on Facebook. Mj Weber marched with a sign. Michael Charton provided security on the outer edges. No violence, thank you. <3

Where was I? I was at work. It's a Saturday, a restaurant/pub's busiest day of the week. I worked on a team of four men, and three women, and we all have important parts to play. I lift things, chop things, mix and prep things. I'm also the 'runner', as in I run to get things for the cooks in order for them to make the food orders. It's a team effort, and I really like my co-workers. I don't make excuses to not do things because 'I'm a girl', and my male co-workers don't disrespect me. We all respect each other, and I love that.

I work because I am in a partnership with the man I love, and when he got laid off I stepped up and got a job. Now we're both working, and we're surviving decently. I still have to keep the job--which works against my writing, but I'm okay with that. Because it's my mortgage too. Because they're my bills too. And why should that be all his responsibility anyway? Who decided that the MAN had to do all that?

Gone are the fifties. Gone are the days of the single income home. The ideal of the perfectly coiffed housewife and the immaculate home and children are gone. Thank God. While there are still women who would like to have families and be homemakers, there are some who would prefer to work and avoid motherhood. We should have the right to CHOOSE.

Today, when I came home from work, I saw my facebook page filled with hope. I am NOT alone. There are thousands upon thousands of us--men and women working together to fight for what I believe are basic human rights. It brought me to happy tears.

I may be an armadillo, but know this...I am a feminist and I've never been prouder!