Because women’s work is never done and is underpaid or unpaid or boring or repetitious and we’re the first to get fired and what we look like is more important than what we do and if we get raped it’s our fault and if we get beaten we must have provoked it and if we raise our voices we’re nagging bitches and if we enjoy sex we’re nymphos and if we don’t we’re frigid and if we love women it’s because we can’t get a “real” man and if we ask our doctor too many questions we’re neurotic and/or pushy and if we expect childcare we’re selfish and if we stand up for our rights we’re aggressive and “unfeminine” and if we don’t we’re typical weak females and if we want to get married we’re out to trap a man and if we don’t we’re unnatural and because we still can’t get an adequate safe contraceptive but men can walk on the moon and if we can’t cope or don’t want a pregnancy we’re made to feel guilty about abortion and…for lots of other reasons we are part of the women’s liberation movement.

— Author unknown, quoted in The Torch, 14 September 1987

Today is International Women’s Day. Be sure to thank women for their contributions to your life, your society, and your world. And this doesn’t mean just calling your mother to say, “thanks.”

Thanks, Grandma M, for teaching me to honor women.
Thanks, Grandma C, for teaching me the alphabet.
Thanks, Mom, for bearing me into the world.
Thanks, Aunt L, for teaching me laughter and happiness.
Thanks, Cousin C, for believing my imagination.
Thanks, Cousin M, for helping me learn to have fun.
Thanks, Mrs. vB, for showing me what faithfulness meant
Thanks, Mother C, for opening my heart to song.
Thanks, Mrs. D, for believing I could read 5th grade books when I was only in 2nd grade.
Thanks, Mrs. C, for sending me to the honors astronomy program in 5th grade.
Thanks, Mrs. Davis, for teaching me to write.
Thanks, Mrs. A, for opening my heart to God.
Thanks, Prof. L, for teaching me to use my head.
Thanks, Prof. A, for proving that Spirit was important.
Thanks, Prof. D, for insisting that love and forgiveness were more important and stronger than law or justice.
Thanks, Ms. T, for showing me that beauty requires brains.
Thanks, J, for helping me get my first job.
Thanks, H, for standing up for what you believed in.
Thanks, S, for insisting on friendship first.
Thanks, G, for forcing me to understand my mistakes.
Thanks, , for showing me I could be dumb, and loving me anyway.

Thank you to all the saints, and goddesses, and beauties and grandmothers and wonderful women who have helped me on my path. Help me understand how best to help you on yours.

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