Carol Fisher Linn
The hand that rocks the cradle … The power behind the throne
March is Women’s History month. I suppose I could tell you about Susan B. Anthony, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and other powerhouse women who have changed history. But the papers and social media are filled with stories about these amazing women who carried the feminist banner and brought us to where we are today.
introduced. And it is not passed yet.
It turns out that powerful women have been with us since humans have been recording history, or likely before. In research, I discovered a photo of a green clay figure that dates to between 230,000 and 700,000 years ago, recognized to have been made by Neanderthals or even predating them. It should be noted that Neanderthal communities “are considered to have shared many of the social and demographic characteristics of modern hunter gatherer communities and indeed have been suggested to have been matriarchal.” In researching Matriarchy on Wikepedia.com. “… many scholars are convinced that Crete was a matriarchy, ruled by a queen-priestess” and the “Cretan civilization” was “matriarchal” before 1500 BC, when it was overrun and colonized by the patriarchy. This example is one of many I found in my research. Plato (born 428/427 bce) advocated that women possess “natural capacities” equal to men for governing and defending ancient Greece. Of course, he was shot down by Senator Marcus Porcius Cato, who argued that “as soon as they begin to be our equals, they will have become your superiors!” (History.com)
Closer to home, The Iroquois Confederacy (of which our neighbor, the Seneca Nation is part) operated by The Great Binding Law of Peace, a constitution by which women participated in the League’s political decision-making, including deciding whether to proceed to war, through what may have been a matriarchy. In this society, mothers exercise central moral and political roles.
Ahhh, women. It appears that lifetimes ago, women had power equal to men. That is, until folks like Senator Cato came along and convinced others that women were a threat to them. And then, the struggle began …
In what became America, the land of the free and the brave, it turns out that women were not so free after all. Way back then, they had to be brave and fight for what they knew to be their rights. In 1769 the colonies adopted the English system by which women cannot own property in their own name or get this, keep their own earnings. Surprisingly, they could vote. But … not for long. In 1777 all states passed laws taking away any rights women had to vote! It took until 1900 before every state finally passed laws allowing women the right to keep their wages and own property. And then, it took another twenty years before the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, ensuring the right to vote to [not all] women. The wheels guaranteeing women’s rights continue to grind slowly.
endeavors. When asked who inspired them,
many of today’s most famous business leaders
credit their mothers: Bill Gates, Richard Branson,
Arianna Huffi ngton to name a few. Many presidents
of the United States have attributed their success to
their mothers. Read First Mothers by Bonnie Angelo.
The power behind the thrones is always a force
to be reckoned with.
Ever hear of the Equal Rights Amendment? In 1923 the first version of the Equal Rights Amendment was introduced. And it is not passed yet. Why is it such a hot potato? Quite possibly because it says, “Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction.” Not strictly for women, in 1963 the Equal Pay act was passed promising equitable wages for the same work, regardless of the race, color, religion, national origin or sex of the worker. Is it working? Decide for yourself. Last week Equal Pay Day was Tuesday, March 12, 2024. “This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Because women earn less, on average, than men, they must work longer for the same amount of pay. The wage gap is even greater for most women of color.” One step forward, two steps back. It’s about that law promising equitable wages!
Yet it is mothers who launch their children into successful endeavors. When asked who inspired them, many of today’s most famous business leaders credit their mothers: Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington to name a few. Many presidents of the United States have attributed their success to their mothers. Read First Mothers by Bonnie Angelo. The power behind the thrones is always a force to be reckoned with. And this month dedicated to women offers an opportunity for every woman, every man who supports and appreciates women, every young child – boys and girls – to be mindful of how the women in their lives make life better even when their own rights are being threatened. What can you do TODAY to help advance the equal rights of women? If you can’t think of anything else, VOTE! Presidential Primary is April 2 with early voting beginning March 23 in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Erie counties. Think of the shrinking rights of the women in your lives and choose wisely.