Why Women’s History Month Is Simply B.S.

Why Women’s History Month Is Simply B.S.

– By Ed Kociela –

By now, I am sure you have been, in some way, informed that March is National Women’s History Month with invigorating and inspirational stories about some of the amazing women in American history, from Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks and others who have made their way into the history books. In modern-day terms, we have the first woman in American history sitting a heartbeat away from the presidency, a woman who is the first Speaker of the House, and a woman who will soon be the first African-American woman to sit on the bench of the United States Supreme Court.

That’s nice. Those women were and are, indeed, special in so many ways and deserving of our respect and attention.

But, if you really want some inspiration, care to hear some seriously invigorating stories, honor women who are strong and independent, all you have to do is walk out your front door and knock on a few doors.

The women you encounter may not be in the headlines or the 30-second newsbite, but I guarantee you they are able to share stories that will curl your hair.

You see, while the women of history are often held up to inspire the young ladies growing up today, the truth is that in real life, the struggle remains.

We have countless single-mother families, trying to keep their heads above water because deadbeat dads get away without paying child support.

We have countless women who remain victims of the gender wage gap, which sees even successful women earning 83 cents to every dollar a man of equivalent position earns.

We have countless women who, as a result of their anatomy, have to work three or four times harder to impress the management boy’s club, women who are often taken advantage of by being given multiple tasks they are expected to complete while their male counterparts slag their way through their careers.

Seriously, don’t even try to argue with me on this. I was in the workplace long enough to hear and experience what goes on and why women just can’t ever seem to get a break.

I mean, really, if a guy is sharp and aggressive in his job he is admired, called a “stud,” and toasted in the gin shops for his tenacity.

A woman who exhibits the same aggressiveness, the same tenacity, the same strength? She’s simply called a bitch.

If a man decides to start a family there are claps on the back and cigars for all while a woman who decides to become a mother sees her company value diminished. Promotions are few and raises are minimal. It is ingrained, it is the culture, and that is why you can take your National Women’s History Month and stow it someplace. See, March is also, among other things, National Athletic Training Month, National Umbrella Month, National Cheerleading Safety Month, National Noodle Month, National Peanut Month, National Celery Month, and a number of other special designations. Suddenly, the designation loses its sheen and becomes one of the devices that white, fat-cat men in power use to ease a guilty conscience.

The story is the same, of course, for such other designations like Black History Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the many others that represent incredibly noble causes that should never be mixed in with the frivolity of a National Ice Cream Month or National Bourbon Heritage Month.

Despite the fact that we are seeing minimal changes, women are still vastly underrepresented in government, there are still 20 percent of all women from 15-49 being physically or sexually assaulted by a domestic partner each year, there are still discriminatory laws on the books, and there is a pervasive culture that refuses to offer women a level playing field. That’s why women earn 83 cents to each dollar paid to their male counterparts and are constantly aware of a glass ceiling that stifles their professional growth. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, women would have to work 42 more days a year to earn what a man earns. The beneficiary, of course, is big business, which saves about $500 billion a year via the disparity. Add to this the chilling #MeToo numbers and we this as misogyny at its ugliest, especially when we had arguably the most powerful man in the world talk about how rich and famous guys could just walk up and grab a woman’s crotch and she would succumb. These are the realities and they far outnumber Susan B. Anthony or Rosa Parks or Abigail Adams stories.

The do-gooders, though, continue to create these special days and months, thinking it makes things all better while real changes, real improvements get kicked to the curb.

For example, there’s the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ensure equity in how men and women are compensated, which languishes in a Congress so politically dismembered that the bill may never see the light of day.

And, then there is the Equal Rights Amendment, which is pushing 100 years in the trenches. Every now and then some politician will resurrect it during campaign season to tuck away a few more women voters, but it still lacks ratification, the opposition coming from radical right whackos and religious zealots who believe it is best for a woman to remain barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. Although churches are required to butt out of politics some, like the Mormons and Catholics, have fueled the anti-ERA campaign for years with millions of dollars in contributions and volunteers working feverishly to squelch full ratification. No matter what these supposed religious people say, I don’t think it was God’s intent to make women second-class citizens.

National Women’s History Month isn’t going to change a thing.

That’s why, if you will pardon me, I think I will pop one open and celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month a little early this year.

It might take the sting out of the hypocrisy.

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