Random Thoughts On Sexism

I dropped my youngest son off at college this weekend and will be taking my eldest to his school this coming Friday. Getting them ready and being quite busy at work as well has put more than the usual pressure on my time.

For today's post I want to put down in words some of the random thoughts I have had over the last few weeks related to sexism.

At a wedding shower for a friend, the mother of the bride-to-be told me once when she flew with her husband and daughter when her daughter was quite young, she sat with the daughter, "because I'm the mom." To my ears this sounded like a strange statement and I asked her about it. She said she could count on one finger the number of times her husband had changed a diaper. This seems not only quite sexist to me but certainly not in the realm of my experience.  I pretty much changed all the diapers for my kids and often those of my nieces and nephews when I was present.  It may sound strange but I liked changing their diapers because I had a martial arts type of game I would play while changing them that always made them break out laughing. I loved seeing them laugh. For Spring changing a diaper was a chore.

When I was dropping my son off at college I met one of his suite mates and his family. The mother went to make his bed, "because I'm the mom." (yes, I head the phrase twice in one week!) Well I let my son make his own bed because, "I'm the parent." But I did just finish washing his bed sheets and making his bed at home.

I actually taught Spring how to use a washing machine. She never learned growing up.

Spring one tried to convince me that woman could never be President of the United States. That was surreal.

Recently two women passed through Army Ranger training. They were the first women to do so. Not only is it amazing to me that it took so long but that there is any controversy whatsoever about whether combat positions should be open to women. If a person, man or woman, can  meet the physical and mental requirements they should be allowed in. It really is that simple. The people arguing against women in combat are using the exact same logic used to prevent women from receiving university degrees despite having met all the qualifications not too long ago. Besides didn't they ever see Alien/Aliens?

Private Vasquez 

I wonder how many people believe it is sexist and unfair that 98% of Americans casualties in Iraq/Afghanistan have been men. I do. Any person who truly believes in equality has to.