CLICK HERE TO READ OR SIGN UP FOR
The Fitterman View
An Irregular Monthly Curmudgeon Report
Talking Back
by Marilyn Fitterman
In 1964 Shirley Chisholm won a seat in the New York State Legislature. In 1968 Chisholm became the first black woman to serve in the United States Congress; and in 1972 she was the first black woman to run for the United States Presidency.
It was in a speech shortly thereafter that Shirley Chisholm remarked “of my two “handicaps” being female put more obstacles in my path than being black.” On another occasion she said that she “always felt more discrimination being a woman than being black.”
How many ways must the vile misogyny of our culture be stated and restated until we acknowledge the injustice and reach gender equality? That question has lingered in the minds of too many women for too many years. As the innovative feminist Mary Daly wrote “Even while we struggle to escape the mindset of patriarchy it still exerts a firm hold over our consciousness.”
Whether we call it sexism or misogyny, the results are the same; for both are so universal, so deep-seated and internalized, that they are invisible because they are so normal.
What better evidence of this bias could there be than what is happening right now on web sites, in the presses, and in the media? While we see a charming, charismatic, but inexperienced black man getting a free ride to the White House, we witness, perhaps for the first time, such overt, vicious and callous treatment of a woman who dares to aspire to thepresidency. And the saddest aspect of this historic moment is that because of this-deep seated, unconsciousness, sexism, most people, including too many women, just don’t see it. They don’t see the difference in the kinds of questions that Tim Russert asks Barack Obama, as opposed to the “girly” questions he asks of Hillary Clinton.
At this time in our history, the United States is perhaps the most educated it has ever been. Therefore, this would be a good time to examine the thousands of years of internalized misogyny.
If we can examine our views of racism and sexism, even at high emotional risk, perhaps through feminism we will find and use our commonality and diversity to the advantage of humanity.
One way to make up for the injustice of thousands of years of sexism would be to elect the first women president of the United States. At least twenty-six industrialized nations have already elected women leaders and the world did not come to an end. And, at this time in our history we have one of the most qualified and experienced woman to fill this job.
Mr. Obama’s experience and education can’t hold a candle to that of Hillary Clinton, who has had the opportunity to actually live and work in the White House for eight years, and to work in the Senate for six years. Damn it, how much more should one have to know to be able to run this great nation of ours?
As educator, Dr. Eleanor Schetlin said in an article long ago: the functions of government are now primarily those that within the home are considered to be women’s work, among them: feeding the hungry, managing the budget, caring for the sick and aged, planning for the education of the young, maintaining order, controlling noise, refereeing disputes, overseeing transportation, maintaining peer and diplomatic relationships, keeping peace with neighbors, preventing disease and accidents, promoting health and safety, maintaining sanitation, occupying the unemployed, preserving resources, cleaning up and beautifying the environment. As Dr. Schetlin so succinctly surmised, “perhaps we are engulfed in pollution because there are no women in government to tell the men to take out the trash.As Shirley Chisholm asked in a 1972 speech, could it be that woman’s supposedly biologically-determined role as nurturer and homemaker is to run our national homeland? Although such gender-based stereotypes should not be perpetuated, perhaps in this instance they should be followed through to their conclusions. Logically in terms of the stereotypes, as Dr. Schetlin wrote, women should be running the government. Men have been in power since recorded history and the world is about to blow up. What betterreason than to elect Hillary Clinton the next president. And, let us not forget the words of activist and author Sonia Johnson: “They can’t do patriarchy without us.” Therefore, rather than aiding and abetting the patriarchy let’s talk back, do the right thing, and send Hillary Clinton to the White House.
MarilynFitterman@aol.com
MarilynFitterman@aol.com
Marilyn Fitterman is a full-time feminist activist, mother of five, and grandmother of eight, based on Long Island, New York. She served from 1988-1992 as President of National Organization For Women - New York State. She was also National NOW's Northeast Regional Director, President of the National NOW Presidents' Caucus and a co-founder of Long Island's NOW-PAC (Political Action Committee). In the early years Fitterman was a Long Island chapter president and currently serves as Long Island's East End NOW President. She is an experienced lobbyist and frequently speaks around the State on a number of feminist subjects including First Amendment Free Speech, Separation of Church and State, Abortion and Reproductive Rights in America, Women's Rights, and Hate Crimes Legislation. She is a founding member and Vice President of the national free speech organization Feminists For Free Expression.
Revolution!
by Marilyn Fitterman
NOW-NYS Reporter - Summer, 1997
Most of the "chaos" in our society exists because we are in a revolution created inadvertently by women who have stopped playing the roles that the patriarchy assigned them. The answer lies not in trying to force women back into the old roles but in recognizing the "chaos" as a creative reformatting of society that will lead to new structures and new ways of doing things in a new world beyond gender.
Societal systems are disintegrating as women recognize their own strengths. They are saying, "I am a full citizen and human being and need to be treated as such." They/We may not be saying it in those words but our actions relay that message and that's what the status quo leadership is reluctant to acknowledge.
We as women are making our own decisions as fully adult humans in the same way that men have always done. And because we women are no longer willing to be second class citizens but see ourselves as first class, and because we are beginning to act on our own responsibility and in our own best interests, each woman is an integral part of this revolution.
It is happening with women who don't even realize they are part of this change. They only want a better salary, or the man out of the house, or more for their children and themselves. They only want affordable day-care, safe- legal abortion and birth control, an end to sexual harassment, an end to violence from men, and to be treated as equal human beings. By aiming for all of the above they are creating this revolution.
• Every woman who leaves a dysfunctional home is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who strives for a higher education is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who rejects abuse and violence is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who decides to be a single parent is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who wears pants so that she can jump, run, and sit as comfortably as her brothers is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who discards those ridiculous high heels and that too short mini-skirt in
order to run ahead of or alongside a man is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who loves another woman is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who rejects legislation of her body is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who shares her life story is part of this revolution.
• Every woman who joins NOW and other women's rights activist groups is part this revolution.
The old metaphor that women don't know how to get along in organizations and groups
because we didn't play baseball or football is hogwash. We are stronger and inherently more independent than our brothers because we build our relationships independently through raising children and being daughters, mothers, wives, etc. We know how to establish independent homes and how to come together when need be. In doing so we bring that independence with us, thereby creating strong unions.
Women's independence is obvious in many ways, particularly in the way we dress. Just look at our male counterparts. They all look alike in their three piece suits, ties, tuxedos, sports teams uniforms, police/ fire-rescue/ and military-forces outfits. At any large social function one can't tell one man from the other and they all look alike because they want to! After all, they are in power. Men have a strong need to travel in herds in order gain support from one another. They find their security in their likeness to their brothers. They belong to fraternal organizations that are secret and they stop in bars with guys after work and they play all-male team sports. Women are secure in their independence and don't need to demonstrate overt signs of belonging to the pack. Even in the patriarchal prescribed uniforms of high heels and panti-hose, women venture more variety of style.
Among the most powerful cultural institutions trying to keep women in second class status are religion, politics, and business, all of which are male-dominated and unwilling to be inclusive. Men and patriarchal women clamor for "family values" based on their own sexist perspective of what "family values" are. What they are really saying is that they want women barefoot, pregnant and back in the kitchen. But women are not buying that. We have found we can be happy barefoot and pregnant as long as it's our own choice to be barefoot and pregnant and as long as we don't have to put up with egocentric abusive males. Hence we have more single mothers and more teenagemothers asserting that patriarchal laws won't prevent us from creating our own families.
We are in the middle of this revolution. It's a revolution that individual women have created acting independently. Some women are working through groups and organizations while others are affected by those groups and organizations. As women we are changing society individually because we will no longer accept the circumstances under which we are living nor accept the roles being foisted upon us.
As women we are no longer willing to work only in low-paying stereotypical fields and are no longer content to spend our lives as personal servants to men who whimsically may or may not support us, and to families who may or may not stay with us for the rest of our lives.
Most women are no longer willing to settle for minimal roles in church leadership or minimal salaries as food servers and secretaries. We have rebelled against the low status, low pay, and the "glass ceiling" over teachers, nurses, and other business professionals. We are establishing our own businesses at a great rate. At the same time we won't settle for abusive or violent men and we are increasingly choosing single parenthood. All of this flies in the face of patriarchal leaders who continue to clamor for "a return to" their "family values." When clamoring fails, patriarchies legislate. But many women are too independent to obey oppressive laws. Consequently, the patriarchy is losing control of its women, a phenomenon which threatens its very foundations.
Fear of women has always been at the heart of male domination. This fear is worthy of consideration. Since women have the power to grow life, it may be recognized that given the chance, they also have the power to take life away. Fear that they will take the lives of rapists, batterers, stalkers, child molesters, murderers, thugs, and unresponsive stay-away fathers inspires the patriarchy to deny women self-esteem, power and control. This fear also engineers the strong taboo against women arming themselves, learning self-defense, striking back at attackers, or even developing strong muscular bodies. The status-quo fears that given freedom and equality, women will realize inherent powers and act on them. In fact, women today are participating in sports and developing their bodies and minds as never before in recorded history.
As technology advances via cyberspace, women gain freedom to communicate more easily with each other. As we tell our stories the walls are coming down and the secrets are coming out. Consequently women are supporting and encouraging each other, benefiting in higher self-esteem and self-empowerment, and increasing strength and ability to demand equality in all areas of life. As we learn to identify with each other, we also learn to understand each other and, one by one, our understanding is growing this revolution.
These past few elections have seen implosions of our patriarchal system. The pandemonium is evident in simultaneous left and right victories within the same election districts. People are no longer listening to candidates' pre-election rhetoric. Pre-election promises are no longer dictating lives, and women as a tremendous voting block, are voting in the interests of themselves and their families. The dust is flying, and what we must do now is regroup, re-evaluate our positions, become activists, and set our agenda so that when this dust settles we land with all feet on the ground, having changed society into a fairer, more egalitarian place. This will happen, almost of its own accord, when we reach a critical mass. And this is why each activist, acting both independently, and through organizations, is so important.
Scientists recognize the theory of "critical mass" which has now been observed as a phenomenon in social movements as well. A "critical mass" is the point at which a wide enough percentage of the population has changed to the point where the entire mass will be effected. Those in our society who advocate equality, social justice, and freedom from patriarchy and/or theocracy have become a critical mass. The temporary "chaos" we are witnessing is a result of the changes caused by the critical mass women have become and by the backlash these changes incur. It is the result of a critical mass beginning to affect society.
Those of us who care about equality, who care about justice, and who treasure freedom must continue with the work we have been doing. By keeping up our struggles, by continuing to organize, and by speaking the truth, we are increasing the numbers of the critical mass, thereby moving forward to a world beyond patriarchy.