Sadly, I must decline this opportunity to sound my political voice.
It's one thing to put on your pussy hat and go march in Washington, DC on a Saturday. It's another thing to participate in a general strike and call out from work. I'm a school teacher. I have 66 students, and it's my job to teach them to read and write.
I'll be wearing red, though. And I won't buy anything. I've got to save my money for future marches.
Speaking of marches, I was in a parade this weekend! It was so much fun.
EXHIBIT A: ANNE IS A TWO STREET STOMPER
If you think I look good in this satin, you should see it on the men! Oh, wait! I can show you that!
Back to a Day Without Women. I think this is a bridge too far.
Asking women to step away from their jobs for a day implies that their work is just a job, with no intrinsic value. I'm sure there are a lot of people (both genders) who just put in their eight hours every day, but I don't quite look at my work that way.
As I gaze out across my classroom, taking in the bored-stiff visages of my students, I feel that I am not making one damn bit of difference in their lives. I could leave tomorrow, and they wouldn't even miss me. Half of them forget my name or call me some other teacher's name. They would much rather look at their phones than at me.
But if I stay home from teaching on a general strike, then I become the kind of teacher that the creature Betsy DeVos claims all public school teachers are. To hear the voucher pushers tell it, we public school teachers are just in this profession for the paycheck and the tenure and the health insurance. Taking a day off on a whim is just the sort of thing we would flock to do.
So I'm not doing it. Red shirt, yes. Day off, no.
Spare is going to be disappointed, but I think even the thrift store counts as shopping. Maybe not? Your thoughts? I do need some new candles.
6 comments:
I love those frilly bloomers under your Old Glory dress! You look like a Victorian Captain America!
I hadn't heard of the Day Without Women plan to mark International Women's Day. Maybe it's not being promoted in Canada. Or maybe I'm just so out of the loop that I'm completely clueless. Yeah, that's probably it.
I am on strike (lucky to have a job that I can take a day off), am wearing red, and wearing my handknit (by me!) pussyhat. I am not spending any money today either.
I can appreciate the many women who cannot strike today (you, nurses, doctors, etc). so I strike for you.
Band together and women could rule the world, and that's a fine idea, methinks.
I'm not striking (physically) either, but I'm wearing red and refraining from spending one red cent. I read an interesting thing online saying, yes, strike if you can but don't judge women who can't. After all, we make 75% less than a man makes and many of us simply can't afford to take time off.
For me, I work in a hospital. The doctor group I work for is all women. They can't take the day off. We have patients! Sick children! Everyone will show up, but we all know that absolutely NOTHING would get done without women running the show.
For some historical interest, check out the Women's Strike in Iceland a few decades ago. Super effective.
I wondered about the concept of not going to work today. Many women have work that is more than a job.
Love,
Janie
love the bloomers..
I think instead of women walking off job for a day I think they should quit having sex with their husbands for a week..or 30 days..that will bring them to their knees
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