Don't Say Anything You'll Regret

In my senior year of high school I took a statistics class.  Every class started with a poll of some sort.  We'd analyze the results to learn about things like mean, distribution, statistical significance, and so on.  The questions were usually silly.  What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?  Would you rather win an Oscar, a Grammy, or the Nobel Prize?  How many siblings do you have?

One day, for whatever reason, our teacher asked us a slightly more incendiary question.

Are women too emotional to be involved in politics?

This class had 27 students: 25 girls and 2 boys.

Five people raised their hands for the "no" answer.  Both of the male students were counted among them.

So.  In a sampling of 25 fairly intelligent females (they were electing to take an extra math class; that implies some intelligence) 22 of them believed that women are too emotional for politics.

WHAT?

I hadn't expected anyone to agree with that statement.  Certainly not the overwhelming majority of the girls in the class.  Surely this kind of backwards thinking had been stomped out back in the 20s when we were given won the right to vote.  Or in the 60s with the invention and distribution of the birth control pill.  Or in the 80s, before I was born.  Surely no one attending high school in the new millennium could cling to such archaic beliefs.

I made a comment to this effect.  A girl responded, "Well it's a fact that women are more emotional than men.  And when it comes to making rational choices about policies, they may not be able to reign those emotions in."

"So you don't think women should be allowed to vote?" I retorted, nearly rising out of my seat.  I was so angry at this girl and so very ready to show her all the ways she was wrong.

The teacher silenced me.  "Let's not say anything we'll regret."

"But-" I started to say before a look from her shut me up.  Instead, I wrote "Vote for Hillary in 2008!" across the top of my homework.

Why is this belief still so prevalent?  Why are there people out there, women among them, who believe that we are somehow inferior to men?  That we don't have the rationality, strength, wisdom, foresight, patience, or authority to help run this country?  Why is equality so hard?

There's a lot going on in this country right now concerning women's rights.  The House of Representatives voted to defund Planned Parenthood.  If this passes in the Senate, it would be difficult or impossible for low-income women to get access to STD/STI screening and care, annual exams, and contraception.  The same politicians are trying to redefine rape so that it only counts if the victim was physically forced.  They want to use this new definition to limit funds for abortions.  In Georgia, politicians have introduced a bill that could make miscarriage a felony punishable by the death penalty.  Tell me how that's pro-life. I dare you.  It's like the kings of old executing their wives for birthing daughters instead of sons.  What century is this?

That last one probably won't pass, but I'm sickened that it is even being considered.

It's time to stop being silent out of fear that I'll live to regret something I say or write.  It's time to start fighting for rights I've been taking for granted my entire life.  It's time to stand up and make them see that women are people, too.

Now the question is, aside from ranting on the internet, how do I join the fight?  Living close to DC should make this easier to figure out, but I'm not entirely sure how to get started.  In the meantime, I'll post my thoughts and rants here and share any information I do find about making a stand.

And please share any information you have with me!