I’ve always considered myself a feminist. Never an activist though.
For the last few Halloweens in a row I’ve stuck to a theme of strong, smart women. For 2016 my husband suggested Gloria Steinem. Since I didn’t know who she was I had to do some googling to figure out my costume. I got more than I bargained for. I learned that I have been a complacent, lazy feminist for 25 years. I assumed the feminists of the 70’s had done all the heavy lifting and now everything that could be done was done. I have ignored all the ways that this ignorant attitude has shaped my life. Did you know the ERA was never ratified? I didn’t. My white privilege (and able privilege and all my other privileges) gave me the relative comfort to ignore it all.
I’m not ignoring it anymore.
I’m going to the Women’s March on Washington next week.