Did you ever have one of those mornings where news headline after news headline makes your stomach feel like it’s falling out of your body? This morning is one of those mornings. Now, I admit I don’t watch the local news (no interest). I don’t watch the national news (no time). I don’t even catch the Daily Show more than once a week, (no cable, and now no boyfriend’s cable either. Damn.).
I get the majority of my news from Feministing, because women-centered news is up my alley and they always cover the big stories I’m interested in. I enjoy feministing with a passion, I think Jessica Valenti is a genius and I can only hope to be as inspirational and well-informed one day.
As is it is the nature of any news to be depressing and solemn I’ve gotten used to reading four horrible headlines for every one uplifting one, but today it seemed like the proverbial shit hit the fan.
Why? Well, this. And this. (’raped’ as if an 11 year old could legally consent.)
Annnndddd this.
It makes my stomach turn.
It makes me wonder why, when these things are happening every day, do people I know, do WOMEN I know still refuse to acknowledge that women are not equal.
It makes me heartsick to think that if I become a women’s studies professor, which I want to do, I’ll have to fight a constant battle. I’ll have to defend my theories, my philosophies to chauvinist students looking to trip me up, to catch me in a hypocritical statement. Women’s studies is not like teaching math. There is no irrefutably correct answer. There is no way to tell if a student “gets” it or is just telling you what you want to hear to get an A.
It’s a hard business to be in, the business of changing opinions; but when one student has that moment, that moment where they finally “get it,” it’s worth the aggravation of teaching all the sheep.
And that one, s/he could make all the difference.
1 Comment
July 14, 2008 at 3:51 am
I feel you girl, it has always been an uphill battles for us chicas. I’m thankful for women like you who will step up into the big arena to make change. I prefer to make change on a personal level, through my relationships and friendships with others, and eventually through my children, but you’re so right, living under a patriarchal system as we have been so sooo fricken long it has made some women’s (and men’s) vital nerve cells absolutely dead. I think they should teach women’s studies in high school, we all need some feminist edmucation!
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