It was something many of us inquired into and learned about and changed in ourselves.
Many of us grew up unthinkingly and automatically doing every single thing to 'please' some man. Any man. THE man.
It was absolutely essential, to gain equal access to equal rights.
We dressed and smiled and offered and cared for and looked out for and arranged and listened and took care of our bodies and our health for.... men.
We were taught this as unthinkingly as we carried it through, and only over time, and with the insight of the latest 1970's wave of feminism, did we awaken from our dream.
When we did, we first hated other women.
We worked through that bullshit, and then we found ourselves hating our selves.
Our bodies, our feet, our hair, our smell, our voices, our laugh, the way we walked and ate and slept.
It took quite a while to learn that discrimination had driven all these lies. We had to work and work hard, against our mothers and fathers and friends and siblings and lovers, to pull our selves free.
'm uncertain how impacted young women are today. I'm uncertain which areas of their lives are aware and independent and free to find their own choices and options where they can.
What I do know is that, at almost 65, I had the gift of living a life of inquiry and discovery and a gradual authentic self esteem.
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