International Women’s Day

I’ll be here this morning, and here tonight.

Nina and Mercy

Okay, it’s only 5:15 in the morning, but I’m already exhausted. Nina wanted out at 3:45 and once she was up, I was up. I’ve got her wrapped from stem to stern to protect her stiches, dosed with antibiotics and a half dose of Benadryl to mildly sedate her (or at least keep her from jumping around). She’s to be kept on crate rest, but right now she’s snuggled up on the sofa. Sweetie is staying home with her today and Thursday and I’ll be working from home tomorrow and Friday in order to keep an eye on her and, more importantly, keep her quiet; a tall order for such a little dog. Thank goodness for understanding bosses. 

Elsewhere in the world:  If you’ve got a minute, go over and read Anna Belle’s excellent piece on Mercy Otis Warren, the woman who penned the  History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution (1805), of which Anna Belle notes:

What makes this particular story so compelling is that Warren’s History was unique because no other country’s first recorded history was written by a woman. Moreover, her history is unique for its inclusion of a full range of characters of different sexes and races who played roles in the Revolution, which I believe set the tone for people other than that small class of white male property owners (to which human rights had been granted by the Constitution) to pursue their own rights. While we’re taught in school that it was our white male founders who wrought our progressive trajectory through time, America may have been as progressive as it was precisely because it was a woman who penned our first history.

[ . . . ]

Given this radical content, is it any surprise that for more than two hundred years after our founding fathers declared their intent to set up a nation and award themselves human rights, one group after another would seek to establish those rights for themselves?

An excellent and informative read.

Women’s History Month and Nevada ‘s Women Bloggers

Sven, over at My Silver State, has asked the women bloggers in Nevada to weigh in on Women’s History Month. Well, the month is nearly over, but I finally got my answers to him today. He’ll be posting them at My Silver State, but I thought I’d share what I wrote.

What, if anything at all, does Women’s History Month mean to you?
I love celebrating women and the contributions we have made to society but I wish we didn’t still feel the need to have a Women’s History month. Just as I wish we didn’t feel the need have to have “Black History Month” either. We don’t have a “Men’s History Month” now do we? Women and Blacks have made substantive contributions all through our history, and there should be no separation of their history from the larger story. You would have thought by now our history textbooks would have been rewritten.

I’ve noticed that Nevada’s main female bloggers all blog anonymously. Why do you think that is and what’s your reason?
Protection mostly. Fear of harassment. I think I may be the only one who doesn’t blog anonymously, and it was a conscious decision to do so. Blogging anonymously works for most, but for me, I didn’t want to be afraid to put my name to whatever I posted. I take the words of Maggie Kuhn to heart: “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.”

Why do you blog and what do you most like to write about?
I’ve always kept a journal and I love engaging with people about important (and sometimes whimsical) topics. To me, blogging serves both of those needs. Writing has always assisted me in sorting out my thoughts and reasoning things through. Right now I’m focused on the presidential race. I write mostly about politics but do throw in other things as well. Blue Lyon, like me, will continue to evolve.

What influence do you think female bloggers have both in Nevada and nationally?
Desert Beacon and Myrna the Minx are my two favorite Nevada bloggers when it comes to local stuff, and how national issues affect us here in Nevada and up north specifically. I think both of them have tremendous influence in Nevada. Taylor Marsh is in a league of her own and has attracted an international following and is very important in the national dialogue.

Who is your favorite female blogger?
I have too many to name.

How would you evaluate the political landscape for women in Nevada?
Fair to middling. We’ve got women in positions of power all over the state, but have yet to put them into the top spots.

While a lot of women are involved in Nevada politics, and a lot of the top elected positions are and were held by women, Nevada has yet to elect a female Governor or U.S. Senator. Do you think that will be changing any time soon?
I hope so. We’ve got some incredible women that would serve this state well.

In that respect, why do you think Dina Titus lost against Jim Gibbons?
Two words (and this is blasphemy for many in my party): Clark County. They failed to deliver the Democratic vote. End of story.

What do you think is the attitude toward women in politics in Nevada today? How has it changed in recent years?
Nevada is very independent and though there is some of that “good ol’ boy” network still around, I’ve also realized that Nevadans, for the most part, want you to prove yourself. Do we have to work harder? Yeah, you bet. Not much different from the rest of the country in that respect, but I’ve also seen a willingness to give women a chance to make their case. I’ve only been in Nevada for about ten years, so I cannot address how it has changed, but from what I know, Nevadans have have shown a willingness to elect women and we gave women the vote in 1914, six years before the 19th amendment was ratified. I think that speaks well for Nevada as a whole. But who knows, maybe I’m just an optimist!

Polished Like Gold

I missed this town hall just before the Texas primary and I had heard of this segment but hadn’t had the opportunity until today to see it. 91-year-old Jewell Hodges speaks eloquently of her support and affection for Hillary Clinton.

"Hey, when was it our turn? I keep hearing that we’ve had our turn?" She says "It was five minutes in 1972. You must have blinked."

The title of this post comes from the comments section of this heartfelt post over at Whiskey Fire.

And so we who look at this primary season as another example of systemic prejudice often have reasons for doing so. Dismiss them as personal or petty if you like, but don’t pretend that we are emotional and you the disinterested arbiters of what is and is not fair game. I have been accused of everything from willful stupidity to “vaginal solidarity” over these last weeks. It’s insulting and demeaning…

H/T to Taylor Marsh

Five generations

In celebration of Women’s History Month, and the women who came before me and after, I thought I’d post this poem, which has been my favorite for a long, long time:

First Lesson

Lie back daughter, let your head
be tipped back in the cup of my hand.
Gently, and I will hold you. Spread
your arms wide, lie out on the stream
and look high at the gulls. A dead-
man’s float is face down. You will dive
and swim soon enough where this tidewater
ebbs to the sea. Daughter, believe
me, when you tire on the long thrash
to your island, lie up, and survive.
As you float now, where I held you
and let go, remember when fear
cramps your heart what I told you:
lie gently and wide to the light-year
stars, lie back, and the sea will hold you.

Philip Booth