Like many people across the world, yesterday I took note of Senator Wendy Davis as she fillibustered Texas SB5. I checked several times. Yes, it is 2013 America. And, our brothers and sisters in Texas get to fight a battle from another century, from the deep, dark past, yet again. Oy vay. I grow weary of the patriarchy. All over the globe the rage against our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, and the sick, fucking notion that they are chattle, flows on and on and on.
Mrs. G offers her take on attempts to legislate the vagina here. I left the following comment and wanted to record it here, because not speaking out against sexism and attempts to legislate women's bodies is a grave mistake:
"Love you Mrs. G. As I watched Senator Davis yesterday, all I could think
was how desperately I wished our beloved Molly Ivins was here to offer
her hilarious and lucid commentary on the Texas lege. Texas is home to
so many great feminists. In the land where the swinging micro-dicks
shout down anyone without a big checkbook, women like Ann Richards,
Senator Davis, Barbara Jordan, Spinster Aunt Twisty Faster, and Molly
are too often the only rational voices of humanity in a screaming
mantastrophe of rage against women. Thank you for raising your voice in
defense of all the rights of all the pussies. I've reclaimed all the
words - quim, cooch, nunny, cunt, beaver, fanny, muff. Freud had it
wrong. The essential issue seems to me to be VAGINA-envy."
I know my Mama won't be happy about the swearing. She is an elegant, gentle woman. She is also my greatest role model, my touchstone, and an ardent, life-long feminist. She raised me to speak my mind. So, for fuck's sake, I am exasperated by impotent old men and their frightened bed-fellows trying to drag humanity back centuries. These people fear women and they are afraid to be held accountable for their own bullshit misogyny. I'm over it. And, of course, I'm not over it. Because, like that sneaky pile of dog shit your kid trailed into the house, the stench of sexism and the fear of the almighty vagina continues to stink and must be scrubbed clean and washed out-even if you have to do it over and over and over again.
I love you Molly and Mama and all you all.
