In ALL respects, Susan, our worlds are indeed very, very far apart.
I took the time to read your rebuttal to Christy's response to the "Women's March." Rather than break your article down, as you did to Christy, I will in fact respond to the points you attempted to make for all "feminists."
Firstly, I will start off by stating, weren't you told to never assume?? Going out on a limb here but, as adolescents, we are told, "do not assume, for you end up making an Ass out of U and Me"
As you stated yourself, "you could be wrong," for you most certainly are! We in fact may have a tad bit in common, reason why I feel I can and am able to rise up against your word. I too, am a college educated, professional mom, so kudos to us! Yea true femininity, giving high fives and supporting another femme! I too live in a safe neighborhood (whats safe anymore though really?), nice houses, big (and I think the word you were looking for is "mature") trees. I'm a real estate agent, so those fluffy words really just fly off our tongues. My days are also filled with tasks of a city-life living family - my kids get a warm breakfast also, I too get to work and go to the gym, however I do not have my groceries delivered to my doorstep. That's pretty fancy, Susan. Hats off to you for being able to outsource that minuscule errand we (parents) have to do with our kids. Yes it is probably one of my most dreaded errands, running to the grocery store with the kids! But to the lay person, it is just another to do that needs to be marked off our list. I am not a single mom, but my mother was, single mother of 5 kids, and drug us ALL to the grocery store. Every Sunday! Of course your life gets messy!! Hello!!! Who's doesn't?? Sure we are all grateful for our kids and bust our asses so that those precious little souls are happy and healthy, regardless of your tax bracket. Am I right? I am glad you considered the millions of women who do NOT have a slither of what you have. How can the majority even relate? I barely can, so I feel, as mentioned before, since I do have a slither of commonality, I can give you the most honest answers you are looking for.
Susan, I am going to answer your important question.
EVERYDAY! EVERY SINGLE DAY!!
Several hours of every single day, was the last time I had a meaningful conversation with a woman who's life isn't like mine. Wether it is better or worse, I can guarantee, EVERYDAY!! Took me a millisecond to respond that one! Is that all you got?? Id like for you to answer the same, seeing as there isn't much diversity in the burbs. Trust me I know, I resided there once and had to get the hell out, for it was too "uppity" for my liking. While on the subject, your subject, what difference does it make where I swipe my card or how much I spent?? How do you know, I didn't bust my ass all month to budget a big grocery trip to feed my family at home, not at the fine dining in the shops of whatever suburban strip you live in? Im sorry, I made an assumption there, maybe you do not dine out, so forgive me. See how kindness works?
Take all the time you need.
How a writer chooses to open their passage is their choice. She (Christy) is completely entitled to her feelings. So if she FELT she was a "disgrace to women" because she didn't agree with the women who marched, Can she not be wrapped up in Her Own Feelings? Just as clearly you are in yours?
Susan, I was raised a second-class citizen. Spanish was my first language. I was in ESL classes with all of the other brown kids. I grew up my entire childhood into adulthood in the barrio! Do you have any clue what that even means? No not Wikipedia's version or definition. Im waiting.
I was a statistic. My voice is definitely heard.
Oh I am sorry, you had to pay a a difference for co-pay. Or your rates jumped. I am so sorry for you. I on the other hand was forced to purchase an insurance I did not want. Did I jump and rave and whine about it? well, yea for a second, but I paid my fee and kept it moving. You seem to be a smart girl and you figured out your personal problem so kudos kiddo!
The question is, have YOU ever skipped an exam because your kid was in need?
I certainly have. Many of times. And that need was food. But what did it do to me? Made me evaluate my situation, and realize I had to figure out another way. I was not going to settle for that life of just getting by, living paycheck to paycheck as so many of us do and did. I didn't sulk and cry and whine to the world how unfair my situation is, because get this, I bet it never dawned on you, So many people have it sooo much worse. Wait, there I go assuming again. Have you had to decide which bill to pay first? Lights so you have electricity, then water, then rent? Oh no, you have auto draft on all your bills, taken straight from your checking account without any hiccups. Where some of us pray they don't process the payment so we don't get hit with insufficient funds fees. But do these people whine?? NO! They go about their day, go to work, take their kids to school, figure out how to get dinner on the table and are happy in their hearts because they made it another living day.
This was my reality once. Could you imagine it??
Yes, unfortunately I have been sexually assaulted, and shoved around. Did I have control of my body then?? Well looking back, if my dumbass did not put myself in those circumstances then the answer is yes, I absolutely had control over my body. When will adults, and females, take responsibility of their actions and behavior and stop playing the victim? When did we become a victimized society? I was in a relationship that was not pretty, but I cannot sit here and point the finger at the other person, when I myself stayed in it. It would be completely foolish of me to try and say I was beaten and was a victim to abuse. I am a big girl, I have a VOICE, I have access to help, and if I'm going to continue to put myself in danger then I better be tough enough to deal with it. (This does not go for truly victimized women in other countries who do not have a voice)
Do not sit here and make excuses for people who make excuses for themselves as to why they cannot find work. They are only EXCUSES.
If there are millions of women who want to work but can't afford childcare, my best advice, seeing as I too am a mother and childcare is not cheap, is to be your own boss. You have to make your way in this world and stop looking for a handout. If it is a handout you are looking for, theres an answer for that as well, get on government assisted aide. They will pay for food, childcare, healthcare and there now you have no more excuses. But I am positive you can come up with some.
I am not one who deals well with excuses. I started working at 14 years old, bagging groceries at the grocery store down the street from my home. I lived in a very unsafe neighborhood and would walk to and or from work most days when my mother was tied up in one of her 3 jobs at the time. Like you mentioned being a single mother is tough. I knew I wanted more for myself and was not going to get stuck in that Barrio, I begged to work and never stopped. My mother was appointed a position that she could not turn down and had to relocate my senior year of high school. I had my own place by 17 years of age, was working a mall job and going to high school! I graduated college with a Bachelors in Business Entrepreneurship with NO grants, or scholarships. I worked my entire college career, didn't have mommy or daddy's credit card to get me by. I woke up at 7am to make it to 8am class with a full day of classes until 3pm and had to drive to the city 30 minutes to make it into work by 4pm and closed by 2am. (I worked in the restaurant industry, solely off tips) I had to drive my very tired ass home to make it home by 3:30 am to shower sleep and do it again. Somehow, broke, tired and not a home to live in (seriously, I was homeless my final year of college) I graduated!!! I had a my first daughter at 25 and had zero expectations for help from family. I did not have time for excuses!!!
I got a little carried away there. Sorry. I am just fed up with everyone's pitty me stories. We all have them!!! You see, the thing with the "women's march" is that it wasn't for "women" to uplift and be supportive. It resulted in male bashing, specifically Trump, with a ton of civil matters. Which I'm all about peacefully protesting, by the way. This however was not. Celebrities, yelling profanities, was anything but a peaceful womens march. Bashing the First Lady for no reason at all, is not feminism. This was a hate filled rally with folks upset that their candidate did not win. Don't give me we aren't equal shit, because we are. Women have so many rights that we even had a female running for presidency! HOW ironic! To the women who really are victims in other countries my heart is with you and I will stand proudly with you! To the women who feel entitled and are filled with hate, I am sorry. Life is not fair. We win some, we lose some. No need crying over spilled milk. Don't put your panties in a bunch. If the women's march was about bringing awareness to equality or inequalities, why were the signs and chants everything but? All I witnessed were comments directed to President Trump. I am not with these women. I am sorry. I do not come from a place of hate and will not be a part of it. I will not spread diversity.
I was once in a horrible place. I changed my situation.
If you aren't getting equal pay, get a new job. Or be your own boss. If you are being harassed, file a complaint and change your situation. Seriously women, we do not have it that bad.
I am more terrified that people are not looking deeply into the agenda behind the scenes. Who funded the "women's march" and why? So we can continue to be divided??
