National Women's History Month - March

Yes, March, is National Women's History Month.

Visit the National Women's History Project.

Let's talk a moment about the state of women in the US today. Women make 80 cents on the dollar to men. The US is ranked 90th in the world for women in legislative positions. Seventeen percent of the House of Representatives are women. In Rwanda it is fifty-six percent. Afghanistan, Iraq, China and Cuba have more women in legislative positions. Three percent of fortune 500 companies are owned by women. Seven percent of the directors in Hollywood, ten percent of the writers in the top 250 grossing films, are women. Budget cuts are disproportionately hurting women. [from Lt. Gov. Gavin Newscom D.-Calif.]

Look at Family Planning, the most trusted agency in America, whose abortions are approximately three percent of what they do and who have been attacked by the Republicans by cutting funding, is going to increase abortions by 40,000 more new ones. Cutting their funding is not in any way going to save money, it is a religious agenda propagated by the Christian, mostly Republican, right and is a travesty and a horror. One out of either women have used family planning and so most women know how good Family Planning is for America.

And remember, we're not out of the dark ages yet. A low still on the books in Michigan states that a woman isn't allowed to cut her own hair without her husband's permission.

From the NWHP brochure:

∗ The Labor Movement which began as early as 1765 when women formed the first society of working women.
∗ The Women’s Suffrage Movement which was launched in 1848 at the first women’s right conference held at Seneca Falls, NY.
∗ The Civil Rights Movement in which women held a variety of roles from leader-ship to organizers to participants.
∗ The Women’s Rights Movement which was re-energized in the 20th Century with what is called the Second Wave.
∗ The Environmental Movement in which women played a key role from the early 19th century and which was officially launched on Earth Day, April 22, 1970

Test your knowledge of women with the NWHP quiz.

Now, go out about be nice to the women in your life. Strive to make their lot in life better, at home, at work, on the street.