Rising... a band of women can be seen -- young women who won't behave, won't be still... persistent women

Contributed By:Dorothy Nevils maslivend@sbcglobal.net

I was searching on the internet to get some ideas for this week’s column and came across a very interesting interview. I listened to her tell her story, a story of life for who knows how many Black women. I must admit that it was about a time, a bit of which I had been a part, but forgotten so much.

I was born a bit later, but its history was close enough to touch. I could identify somewhat with her experience, for it was not too distant from my memories of fear, and preparation for attack, the time of houses built into the sides of hills with provisions stored away for the Soviet Union’s attack.

I’ve included a link to her story because I think you’ll, too, find it interesting. Like taking a trip, it’s darn near impossible to drive across a whole state or two without affirming that you have indeed covered the territory, even if you’ve driven that same route close to a hundred times or more. You just can’t help it!

As I listened to Kattie Strickland tell her story, her life, I identified somewhat. Yes, I’d picked blackberries, and I’d worked in the field, and I’d harvested vegetables, and picked cotton… but I don’t ever recall picking a hundred pounds… and I’d never had to divide my school schedule, three days in school, two in the field…

This week winds up Women’s History Month, "Nevertheless, She Persisted: Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination against Women"; and if you are old enough to qualify as a woman, you know somewhat, if not “all that much,” about discrimination against women. You know, for instance, that the United States, though we like to claim the description of a forward country, stands out from several other countries in one respect: We have never had a woman as Commander-in-Chief!

Women have made great strides. However, stride as we might, we don’t reach that “glass ceiling.” We lag far behind when it comes to women leaders… In fact, if you research how many governments have women at the head, you’ll find a long, long list ahead of “Great America,” including our “American” neighbor to the north.

We have not sat twiddling our thumbs, however. Our sisters here in the “Hoosier” state painted “America” a shade less than “great” by calling in to report their “gyno-menstra-stats” after then Gov. Pence ordered more control over all things reproductive. They also took to Twitter to keep him abreast of female changes.

Though women have pushed our way from the depths in so many instances, we here in the U.S. have not broken down the door to the “good ole boys’ club!” It hasn’t been because of our inferiority, however. There just seems to be a “bastion of boys” that cannot loose their grip, no matter how undeserving the “boy” may be. Behind them, a group of “ladies” stand, their noses sharp as a buzzard’s beak, their fingers pale from a death grip on starched hankies.

But I have hope. Rising as no one thought they would, a band of women can be seen – young women who won’t behave, won’t be still… persistent women. It’s time… It’s time!

www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2018/03/23/doe-kattie-strickland-manhattan-project-womens-history-month/446803002/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_and_appointed_female_heads_of_state_and_government

Story Posted:03/24/2018