Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

calimary

(80,693 posts)
33. Welcome to DU, OceanChick!
Sat Nov 25, 2017, 02:29 PM
Nov 2017

I think we women have all got scars from years of bad, sexist, and sometimes criminal treatment simply because we're women. I was SOOOO looking forward to the election of the first woman President, to start changing the narrative and the national zeitgeist. I texted to my daughter who lives in another state about that on the day before the election last fall.
What that was going to mean, to us as Americans.
What that was going to mean, to us as women.
What that was going to mean, to the rest of the world, especially those looking to our country for leadership.
What that was going to SAY - to the world, and to ourselves, about who and what WE ARE, as Americans.
What that was going to say about a new era of awareness and enlightenment and ... (yeah, uh-huh. Our votes for the first black President sure turned a new page, didn't it.)

I was naive enough to be absolutely THRILLED, beyond all imagining, when Barack Obama got elected. What that meant to, for, and about us as Americans. What that meant as far as turning the damn page and leaving that old racism crap and that old stupid Confederacy crap BEHIND. What that meant as far as our evolution, our maturity, our growing up and GETTING THE HELL OVER IT, as a nation. What that said - about us, and to ourselves, about culturally and systemically and societally GROWING THE HELL UP! What that signified, as far as turning the page on all that old, obsolete shit, and the mindset that went with it.

Well, MAN-OH-MAN was I ever wrong. I had such faith. I had such hope, for a brighter, saner, more mature and more reasoned future. What that meant... I just reveled in it, that night. That I had lived to see this moment when we finally GOT OVER IT. When we finally embraced the new century, in the new millennium.

And all it did, really, was rip the scab off whatever grievous social and national wounds we thought were finally starting to heal, or that some of us actually dared to believe already HAD healed, or WERE healing. MAN-OH-MAN was I wrong. It just let all the pus and the virulently infectious toxins ooze out into the open. It brought out the ugly underbelly of our national psyche and wrapped it all up in shiny spangled red, white, & blue, and paraded it down Main Street on the back of a fancy convertible, with fireworks and sparklers and marching bands following close behind it.

I'm always surprised that even some of the most well-meaning men are surprised. Squinch Nov 2017 #1
As a man, I can tell you Plucketeer Nov 2017 #6
Privilege is blinding. Iggo Nov 2017 #2
Wow, this is an epic post - thank you! OceanChick Nov 2017 #3
I heard the same thing True Blue American Nov 2017 #9
I'm glad you confronted that maintenance guy raccoon Nov 2017 #26
Thank you LittleGirl Nov 2017 #30
Welcome to DU, OceanChick! calimary Nov 2017 #33
Nicely summarized. krispos42 Nov 2017 #4
Agreed, an EPIC POST, Bright. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #5
can't express how much I love this post librechik Nov 2017 #7
Thank you for this. crosinski Nov 2017 #8
Marvelously written post! Habibi Nov 2017 #10
By all means. Share any way you wish. n/t TygrBright Nov 2017 #13
I'm sharing it too, TygrBright radical noodle Nov 2017 #16
Well-said, Bright. volstork Nov 2017 #11
I'm 72 HeiressofBickworth Nov 2017 #12
On the nose. Those of us who came of age in the 50's and 60's remember. annabanana Nov 2017 #28
That used to bother me, BIG-TIME! The label "coed." calimary Nov 2017 #35
Stewardess HeiressofBickworth Nov 2017 #41
Absolutely Great Leith Nov 2017 #14
It ain't dead. (Patriarchy). zentrum Nov 2017 #15
No. It ain't dead. Not by a long shot. calimary Nov 2017 #37
Amen Soph0571 Nov 2017 #17
Yes! k&r DesertRat Nov 2017 #18
Excellent post, but I just have to say this... marcopolo63 Nov 2017 #19
Hah! n/t TygrBright Nov 2017 #20
Welcome to DU, marcopolo63! calimary Nov 2017 #38
Thanks for the greeting Calimary! marcopolo63 Nov 2017 #40
Heard. K&R, nt. druidity33 Nov 2017 #21
Hugs to you, Bright Hekate Nov 2017 #22
LOVE this post RandomAccess Nov 2017 #23
Women I know are so profoundly angry at the LuckyLib Nov 2017 #24
Damn. That was righteous. nolabear Nov 2017 #25
Wonderful description. annabanana Nov 2017 #27
Good one. cachukis Nov 2017 #29
Well said coeur_de_lion Nov 2017 #31
Fantasy RussBLib Nov 2017 #32
I hope you don't mind that I homegirl Nov 2017 #34
Exactly. ismnotwasm Nov 2017 #36
This is a WONDERFUL post, TygrBright. calimary Nov 2017 #39
Excellent post, TygrBright! smirkymonkey Nov 2017 #42
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»"Holy crap! Where did THA...»Reply #33