There certainly has been a buzz all week about women – breaking through the glass ceiling. I w
as fortunate enough to hear Hillary Clinton’s message that while she did not win the nomination of her party she and 18 million others had put cracks in the proverbial male/society created glass ceiling. Then on Friday I sat in my classroom and watch as Gov. Sarah Palin continued that sentiment by saying that while C
linton cracked the ceiling, she was there to finish the job. Two women, one week, one goal………….Some praised McCain for his choice; some said it was a disaster. Some loved that Hillary was the first to truly jump on the bandwagon to lead our nation; some said it was a disaster. So where exactly do women fit into society?
As a history teacher, in each chapter that I teach there is always the section on “the family” or the “role of the woman” and credit given to the females in my class I always have them asking “Why were women treated like that?” And I have to remind them that finding a woman’s role in society or even within the family is often a difficult task. There are barriers to what a woman can do within each race, religion, section of the world, and even among women. I remember how Hillary Clinton got slapped down when she gave that speech about “stay at home women and how they could make cookies” or something like that. Not all women want to rule the world, not all women want to stay home, not all women want to be the head of the family or leader of a nation, not all women want to be subservient – so even though we look to man and ask “why can’t we” we have to look among our sisters and ask “Who are we”?
This week I taught about the Hindu ritual of the Suttee. A ritual where when the man dies, as he is being cremated it is encouraged that the wife to throw her body onto her husband so that the family sins will be forgiven and they will all be reincarnated into a better caste the next cycle. In India, the most remote parts, they still find it acceptable for the fathers to kill baby girls because they are seen as a financial burden, and yet they accept some women in their politics. So how do we understand a society in India today that – in some regions still practice the Suttee – kill female babies and yet has voted for a female Prime Minister?
Today in China they are facing a huge problem regarding females. Because of China’s rule of one child - thousands of couples have been aborting their female fetuses because of the importance of having the male. In 2004 – you get kindergartens with 45,000 boys and no females. Now China is in the position of having to rethink the societal norms and encourage families to have the females. So how do you say in a communist country that “everyone should be treated equal” - that we are all of one nation without division and yet see their concept of the female?
I don’t even know if I want to go into the realm of religion and the role of women. In some religions women are encouraged to become preachers, ministers, advisors and in others they are to remain – not necessarily subservient, but to understand that the man is the head of the family and that the wife should be obedient to his wishes. I could write 5 blogs on the status of women and religion. But I will leave that for a later time.
So where does the modern female of the 2000’s stand? Is it beside the man, under the man, behind the man, or in front of the man?
I know where the females I know are standing – On a trampoline, jumping up
and down and given enough time WE WILL break that glass ceiling My goal, however, is not to break it because of anger, or because we need to “prove” ourselves to mankind; but to break it through compassion and a desire to be better, and to improve our society for not only our daughters, but for all our children.
My favorite women whose leadership I admire the most and who I use as an example in my life:
#1. Golda Meir: First Female Prime Minister of Israel. Negotiate with the United States for additonal weapons during the Yom Kippur War (1973) while making breakfast for her family. Not a beauty but when she spoke her mind it was firm and determined.
#2. Margaret Thatcher: First Female Prime Minister of England. Extremely strong willed and able to stand up to the harshest
critic of the English Government. She served England well, and was a great supporter of the United States. She was often refered to as the "Iron Ladyof England".
#3. Queen Elizabeth of England. Married to her country, gave birth to the arts rather than childre
n. Did not back down or show fear towards an emerging King Philip II of Spain. "I may not be a lion, but I am a lion's cub, and I have a lion's heart"
#4. All the females in my life right now.
Be they teachers, wives, mothers, sisters, friends we are
the ones who control our destinies,
we are the ones who will shape the next generation,
we are the ones who will be accountable to
our granddaughters, grandnieces, and others
What will we answer when they say
“What is a glass ceiling”?
