Remember the Ladies

As a grad student, I took multiple courses in Women’s/Feminist Studies. I was fascinated by the content and still am. One lesson I learned is particularly meaningful today – the letter Abigail Adams, the future First Lady, wrote to her husband, John Adams, and other members of the Continental Congress to not forget about the nation’s women when fighting for America’s independence from Great Britain. Dated March 31, 1776, Mrs. Adams wrote “…I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” 

Remember the ladies is a haunting precursor to what is currently happening in our society over 240 years later. The tyrant has many faces – power, greed, exclusion, inequality, pay inequity and the loss of civil rights. On Saturday over 2 million women took to the streets in small towns, county seats, large metropolitan cities and numerous international countries. These women came together in peace, united for a cause. With inclusion at the forefront, all members of society were encouraged to attend, representing a broad swath of humanity, the participants marched, spoke, sang and urged the world to “Remember the Ladies.”  I am positive any words I write, cannot have the visible impact that was seen on Saturday. Regardless of one’s beliefs it was powerful to see so many men, women, children, teens, college students, lesbians, gays, transgender, physically challenged, underrepresented populations, majority, minority, international, Hollywood stars, politicians, wealthy, poor and common everyday people, come together to give a message of respect, inclusion and equality for women and to hear women’s voices. The directive was clear when one group is oppressed, we are all oppressed.

 

So today, tomorrow and forever we Remember the Ladies…(Thank you Mrs. Adams!).