sinkingfeeling
sinkingfeeling's JournalJust a real life story....
In 1957, I was 9 years old and suddenly there was a major shift in my world. My 43 year old father had a serious heart attack and was told to stop working. My dad was a full time Chevolet parts manager and farmed 225 acres in his spare time.
So, we left Ohio and my rural grade school (class of 18 kids) and headed to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. There I was appalled by the strange teaching methods I found in my new school where there were 6 fourth grades! We were divided into teams and there were all kinds of point systems.
It was a much different world from the corn fields and woods of Ohio. I saw water fountains and restrooms labeled 'black' and 'white'. There were no African Americans in my school. I saw the shabby 'black' school and the neighborhoods blacks were to live in. I was even called a 'damn Yankee'.
The biggest shock came with participation in my grade school's annual 'minstrel show'. My mother tried to explain what these shows were. I had to learn a bunch of Southern songs and I had one speaking line. I can't recall what my set up for the punchline was, but I had to call out, "Mr. Interlocutor, Mr. Interlocutor!" Then I asked my question and the interlocutor responded, making a joke.
And they covered our faces with black makeup. They left white circles around our mouths and eyes.
As the years passed, I realized how awful all this was. But I don't believe I was given an opportunity to opt out. 3 years later I was back in Ohio and began to support the Civil Rights movement. Been an activist and a Democrat ever since.
People do become enlightened and they can change over time. And what is unacceptable in society also changes with time. That's how we progress.
Ten years ago today, I woke up from what was to have been minor
surgery to remove a benign lymph node, to be told they had discovered Stage IV cancer on both my tonsils. It was squamous cell carcinoma.
I was shocked as I had had no symptoms at all. I underwent 33 radiation treatments that also destroyed most of my saliva glands and taste buds, covered my throat with blisters, and burnt my neck. Didn't eat for 4 weeks.
But I survived and have been cancer free for TEN years!
Saw "On the Basis of Sex" today and I was crying like a baby at
the end. This is the story of my lifetime. When women were told who they could be and what they could do.
I was laughed at by the AF ROTC for wanting to join; told I'd be taking a man's place in vet school; worked in a place without a women's restroom; attended a conference where I was one of two women and 300 men; had to have my father co-sign for my first mortgage; and had to change my credit cards to my student husband's name.
And we fought back. I joined NOW, marched and protested, fought for abortion rights, equal pay, and the ERA.
I was so moved by the argument made by Ruth Ginsburg in the movie, I started to cry. And I kept crying as RBG made her cameo appearance.
I wish every college aged person were made to watch this movie. So many don't even believe the conditions women were in less than 50 years ago.
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Gender: Do not displayHometown: Illinois
Member since: 2003 before July 6th
Number of posts: 51,443
