Ouch. (Betty.)

[BlueIris]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060204/ap_on_re_us/obit_friedan

Yes, I know that people die. Yes, I realize that she lived beyond the national average for a woman and had a full life. But without Friedan, my mother would never have become a feminist. Without that transformation, I would never have been born. (And this isn't the best news I could have encountered today, period.) R.I.P., Ms. Friedan.

[Kerrytravelers]

1. My post from LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2088454&mesg_id=2088454

[bloom]

2. Online - The Feminine Mystique: Chapter 1

The Feminine Mystique: Chapter 1

"The Problem that Has No Name"

Betty Friedan

http://www.h-net.org/~hst203/documents/friedan1.html

[ismnotwasm]

3. Blessings to all the ground breakers

The bold, unafraid women. The ones who faced ridicule and rejection and danger for speaking their truth.

It's really been a series of many small steps with a few giant leaps in a way. She was one of those leaps. Perfect? Who is? And no, it's not welcome news (of course) especially when hard earned rights are backsliding.

Remember that "You've come a long way baby" cigarette ad? And the feminist response was (in so many words) "I ain't your baby". Because we finally, finally could say that.

Rest in peace Betty.

[cally]

4. My sister's friend drove Friedan in Ak

She was driving her to a mountain house way above the city and the weather conditions were horrible. It got so bad that she had to back down this long windy road in blizzard conditions because her car almost slid off the road. During all this, Betty was calm and took the harrowing experience in stride. She was a classy lady. RIP Betty. Thanks for your courage and vision.

[femrap]

5. Amy Goodman had a good segment on her....

Coretta's passing overshadowed Betty's unfortunately. What would we have done without her? Remember Bella Abzug? Shirley Chisolm? So many of our great leaders are gone. Gloria Steinem is 70 years old....where are today's leaders? Do we have any?

It seems as if we have so much anger and rage, but there is NO ONE who utilizes it...who can focus it...who can guide it.

[ismnotwasm]

6. That is a good question

I was talking to a women my own age,(45) She said, and I quote "Is there still a woman's movement? Do they still call it feminism and all that?" She may have been trying to annoy me, but I was mentioning an article I had seen on a feminist website, not really trying to discuss feminism.

We do have leaders, Kim Grady, the president of NOW for instance
http://www.now.org/news/note/020806.html

But feminists are not getting "press" except for the most negative kind.
Even that is rare.

Many women think we've achieved "equality"
I was looking at a progressive Seattle rag, on that considers itself sexually progressive as well as liberal. Gay friendly, and all that, Dan Savage writes a column for it.

The back of the magazine was full of ads for women, large breasted and seductivly posed. Those "call me" ads. Must have been at least 50 ads. This magazine has always been like this, but I've never noticed the plethora of female protitution promotion to this degree in it.

Porn apologists deny the connection between violence against women and pornography. Young women think topless dancing is just a dandy way to make money to get through school, to support a child, whatever. This is what they consider "choice" without consideration of the larger implications. "It's my body" they say. Well, yes, I guess it is. Not much I can say there.

We're backsliding, and many women think feminism is a thing of the past, or there is not longer a use for it. Or that it's anti-male (While these same women complain will about men-- that really gets me--who's being anti-male here? Not the feminist, who want men to be what they were intended to be---equal partners in the human condition)

So even If I get weary, I'll continue to fight. I use the word feminist any time someone wants to get to know me. (I'm not a bad sort to get to know)I talk. I bring up issues in the most sensitive way I can, because I don't want women or men to back away. I want them to to say, Yes, that bothers me too, What can I do about it?
I guess the leaders are us, the ones who give a shit, the ones who are participating, the ones who continue to fight.

[femrap]

7. I went to my first NOW Annual Conference last year in Nashville....

(which is embarrassing that it took me this long to get to one....I'm 53). Kim Gandy is a great woman...she fights so hard for women. Elections for President and other officers were held at the Conference....what a truly DEMOCRATIC organization NOW is!

Would young women strip if they could make say the same hourly wage as a male construction worker? Women are valued only as to what they offer sexually. When I was young, I would get so upset over the fact that secretaries made less than janitors (a male job primarily then) or truck drivers. Now, I am amazed at the number of men I see working retail...they're now taking the pink collar jobs from the women....especially shoe sales which is usually commission and one can make a decent wage...but it's hard work. And I see a lot more male waiters...I hope capitalism finally eats itself up one of these days...it's so damn cruel. Oh...excuse me...it's no longer called 'capitalism'....it's free market...shit.

It's as if we need Consciousness Raising Groups again....so many young women have been sold a bill of goods by the Media, Big Biz (cosmetics, diet, exercise, clothing, shoes, etc, etc.)and Big Religion....and no one talks about it. I was lucky...in the early '70's, hip women didn't wear make-up, didn't wear heels, and our personalities/brains were important.

I could rant on and on...but that's enough for now. We shall continue to fight...it's our nature to stand against the bullies.

I applaud you for bringing up issues in a 'sensitive' way...I am Ms. Sarcasm and Ridicule... after the '04 election, I declared: Nice Is Over! Which was really difficult for me to begin with...lol.

[ismnotwasm]

8. I'm a nurse

So I work with a lot a females. In general,(and sadly) I find the younger ones more receptive to conversation about women's issues. The olders ones, with a few exceptions either avoid the whole thing or are nearly hostile, like the women I described.

You make very good points, BTW.

[bliss_eternal]

9. Why is it, in your opinion

that the older nurses seem less open to discussing these issues?

I'm always kind of blown away by women nurses that don't get how relevant women's issues are in their work. There was a time when nurses were seen merely as the doctor's handmaidens and personal slaves. There are still doctors that lament that the nurses don't cower in their path as they once did. I would just think those that have seen those times would have strong ideas and views about this whole issue.

:hi: