I Am Someone!

 January 20th seems like an eternity ago and also like just a minute ago.

This is how Aspen handles the daily news and I have to admit I'd like to do the same.  President Musk and First Lady DJT are getting to me.

This is going to be an op-ed rather than a pictural blog post.  Skip it if you'd like.

The removal of DEI protections has me questioning my own value.  One of his appointees said that only white men should be in charge and that women have been coddled for too long.  High ranking women are being dismissed for not agreeing with a dictator want-to-be.

For 45 years I had someone tell me what a terrible mother I was because I chose to have a career rather than staying home with my girls.  Even when I worked in Yellowstone I was told to stay home and take care of my husband.  Now, if I'd been a man I would have been applauded for starting at ground level, earning two degrees and finishing my career as a VP of a billion dollar company with the six figure income.  I never touted my success around these people.  Why?  Because I'm a woman who was taught to be humble and kind (thank goodness).

When I ended my career, my assistant became my replacement and I was truly glad for him.  But then I found out he was given the same salary as me, he had no IT related degrees, and had only been with the company for a couple years versus my 20 years.  When I asked about that my boss (a woman) said it was because he had a family to support.  Women can be other women's worst enemy.

Blaming the terrible American Airline crash on DEI was inexcusable.  Did the color of a person's skin or their gender affect the outcome?  No, sadly it was human error alone. To hear the leader of the free world offer a moment a silence and then immediately start blaming DEI was too much to witness.

Women don't even have the right to make decisions about their own bodies in many states.  What??

Am I a terrible mother for wanting to use my intellect to make a difference?  Was I just being coddled for all those years?  Is there any worth in being a woman other than bearing children, maintaining the home, and then babysitting the grandkids (according to JD)?  

Trumpers want women to go back to pre-1950.  In fact, if the SAVE Act passes up to 69 million married women without passports, only birth certificates, may lose their right to vote because the name on the birth certificate doesn't match their married names.  Not everyone can afford a passport or has any use for one.

One thing I do know is that my beautiful daughters are all smart, strong, beautiful, and independent women.  Maybe that was in a small way due to them witnessing a mother who pursued a career.  Women also have empathy and can feel other's pain.  We look for solutions rather than sweeping unwanted problems under the rug.  One thing I know for sure is that I'm glad I didn't have sons who were over mothered and became mamma's boys.  They are difficult partners for strong women, you can spot them a mile away and they grow up to be misogynists.

So, although Aspen has the right idea burying her head in the sand, I know we as a country must resist to the best of our ability.  But how?

Power of the people!  Time for this lady to get her protesting shoes on again!

Thanks for listening.