Select Page

In my last post, I chose to dial in light. I’m still pro goodness and optimism. But one way to brightness for me is to be honest, and to envision a time when we don’t need to fix inequity with a token Women’s Day or Black History Month. Let’s celebrate and honor real accomplishments and worth, year round.

OK, so calling International Women’s Day a sham is a little rough and simplistic. There are some really good people who deeply honor and respect women, in deeds and words, on Women’s Day–and year round.

For example, President Obama gave First Lady Michelle Obama so much public support during their tenure in the White House, including this Women’s Day reception in 2010.

But at this moment, declaring IWD feels especially crass and insincere. It’s been just one day since the new U.S. Administration rolled out a health care “plan,” a scaled back version of Obama’s ACA. This new plan will HURT a lot of families–and will line the pockets of folks whose health care will not be compromised. It offers nothing new, just less of it… to the people who need it most.

The fact that they drafted this new plan in secret, by dark of night, is a really weird and fitting detail.

International Women’s Day, indeed. How about a day of International SUPPORT Women Day?

  • A day of offering child care, food, and medical/dental care to families (to ALL parents, regardless of gender).
  • A day of empowering girls and boys to be expressive, and to create music, art, dance, poetry, stories, and inventions that make this world safer and fairer and more fun for everybody.
  • Just one day when women and men who have the same jobs receive the same pay.
  • A muzzle on leaders who can’t muster year round respect for women. (If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.)

IMG_3440So today I’ll wear RED in solidarity with A Day Without A Woman. And I won’t feed our economy.

But mostly I’ll dream of a day when we don’t feel the need to atone for inequality with one dumb, token ceremonial day.

Leap, Little Frog

a musician's musings on nesting, being creative, traveling, and parenting