Woman's Place

CNN right-wing contributor calls Dem convention "vagina monologues"

by John Aravosis 

CNN contributor, and right wing blogger, Erick Erickson is finding himself in some hot water after his tweet about tonight's Democratic Convention speakers, many of whom were women: "First night of the Vagina Monologues in Charlotte going as expected."I guess to a Republican it's artifice when you let women-folk in to the boys' tree house.

I am reading Gore Vidal's Creation and there was a description of the way women were treated in the ancient world. They were essentially property and were kept in special rooms in the house and not allowed to mingle with the men.  They were totally dependent upon their husbands or men.  They were not allowed to eat with or interact with men.  Even today there are some countries who keep their women under total control of the men.

Even 100 years ago women were not allowed to manage their own property but were subject to their husbands.  They could not vote - indeed women were not given the right to vote in the United States until the 19th Amendment  was passed in 1920!

Some men would very much like to see those days returned.  I wouldn't.  I read what Eric Erickson tweeted I was just a little angry.  You see my mother was a single mother.  My parents were divorced when I was 4 years old. I saw my father once between that time and when I looked him up in college and the child support was so rare as to be non-existant.

 My mother took on the task of raising me and only through the help of her parents and family were we able to have any kind of a life.  Mom worked as a secretary, at Iowa State University, the Department of Transportation and Doane Agricultural Service.  

Equal pay for equal work.  I don't think so. During that time women were paid less (and still are).  Even female school teachers were paid less than their male counterparts because "they didn't have a family to support."  

I was not bad off.  I did not see my father except for one time as I was growing up.  I had a step-father for awhile but his drinking left us in debt.  A debt my mother had to work off after she divorced him and had two children to raise now.  Again my grandparents helped out and we were able to have a pretty normal childhood.  My grandfather and my uncles took over the male role models for us and I will always be grateful to them.

But I will not forget the fact that I really had no "good" clothing to wear.  I did not have closets full of clothing or lots of spending money.  I had enough and I never felt the lack but I know what my mother went through.  I know the times she could not sleep because she was worrying about money and having enough to get by.

And she always preferred that her kids have something rather than she have it herself.  That is the woman who, like so many women, put her kids first and herself last. 

That is one of the reasons I will vote for the Democrats this time around.  Vagina Monologues!  You bet. Women have a large voice in the Democratic Party.  I listened and it was inspiring. I listened as Lily Leadbetter talk about the first law Mr. Obama signed say "it's about equality."  She is right. And it is about time women were equal.  

And Mrs. Obama proved that she is the president's most effective spokesperson.  Read more about the opening night here.

Vagina Monologues indeed!

Here is Mrs. Obama's Convention speech.