Today is OUR day to celebrate!
Why you ask? Because it was today ONLY 90 YEARS ago that women got the right to vote!
I am not a political person, I am not a member of ANY party, but this is a day in history I was told of as a child. I am only in my 40's but I had women around me, in my younger years, that were incredibly strong, educated and loved to share stories.
My Aunt Mary would sit with me on the old patch work "pleather" love seat at Nanny and Paw Paw's and tell me stories... One story I never forgot was the one where She (Aunt Mary Lain) got the right to vote. I remember the first time I got to sign my name and choose who I wanted as President. With a grin on her face and clutching the broach on her dress resting just at her chest. Aunt Mary had a hard time with her hearing aids at this time in her life, but she loved the visits at Nanny's house, She enjoyed the interaction with the family and said she most enjoyed seeing the younger ones... myself included come in and out.
Aunt Mary Owned a little gas station... that at the time still sold gas, manually cut bologna sandwiches, shelved lined with groceries, the old men still sat out front rolling their cigarettes or smoking their unfiltered camels. She loved her cokes and drumsticks (icecream with nuts and choc.)... BUT in my mind she made the best chocolate pies and oatmeal cookies, chocolate chips or not they were incredible. Today her "station" is owned by someone else and sits not open to the public? I haven't a clue what it is used for.
Aunt Mary was an amazing woman. Her stories of seeing her first airplane, sitting in a car for the first time, the phone line in her house was a party line till the day she moved out, needing more assistance on a daily basis. She had the first TV in town... (they rolled it OUTSIDE to share with everyone else) But the look on her face talking about voting... She spoke of signing her name, picking her canidate, and feeling as if she had more power than she could imagine.
Most women today don't think about it! Many don't even make the effort to go and cast a vote.
Not long ago, barely a lifetime ago, we were not considered human, we were still property! No matter our skin colors... a man... black or white was able to vote and he carried the ONLY vote speaking for his wife and family.
Not long ago we were not able to voice our own wants, needs, or refusals ... Some are still not "ALLOWED"
If you do nothing else today... think of all the women in the world that still today do not have the right to vote! Still do not have the right to an education! (bombings of such protect occured just last week) Still do not have the right of refusal of ANYTHING! Some women TODAY are still PROPERTY! Still only subject to what ever their husbands desire. Some are not even allowed to choose their husbands but arranged in buinesss type marriages to prosper their families. yes it is Taboo but still happens!
If you are reading this ... you are probably more lucky than you think! You may THINK you are entitled to vote, but the facts are people have died, MILLIONS of people have died to GIVE YOU THE RIGHT to vote.
if you are reading this... you are walking with your head high today because women in the past ... only a short time ago... walked tall and stood up for the rights of women today.
If you are reading this... you not only need to say happy birthday to women you see, but a special thanks to your veterans, and service persons of today. They still stand in arms to protect YOUR right to vote, choose, and refuse things in your life.
I say Thank you to ...Aunt Mary, Aunt Lottie, Aunt Alma and all those before them! I owe them thanks I owe them my life style... I owe them my independence!
Want to take a journey ... back in time... check out this site.Women in History see the words of Susan B Anthony in the 19th Amendment... that made us the women we are today!
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