The Beginning

In 1968, I was a young mother, a single parent trying to find a job supporting myself and my two babies. My husband was a lazy s&*head who would not hold a job for more than a few weeks or month or two at a time. The rest of the time, he would be gone during the day and refused to babysit or do any work around the house when he was not working, saying "that's women's work." It didn't take me long to kick him out. I tried to find a job that would support a family so I thought I needed to apply for the "men's jobs." The men that interviewed me were shocked that a woman would apply. They would tell me the work was too hard for a woman, and I would tell them I was young, healthy, strong and able to handle it. When I told them I had a family to support with an ex husband who has always refused to support us, they would say things like, "He should be hanged! But we can't give a job like this to a woman."
I was devastated, thinking we would be resigned to life of poverty until I got an education. Eventually I started taking night classes to begin working on my college degree. Sometime during this time I discovered that women with a college degreee even earned less than men with only a high school education. Again, numbing depression overwhelmed me and I wondered how I would make it with my wonderful sons.
Sometime during this time, I began to read about a new movement, the women's movement, going on in California, I think and New York. I talked with others regarding this and was referred to some women associated with the YWCA in town. It was through the support of the YWCA who allowed us an office, that the New Women's Coalition came into being. It was started just prior to the first local chapter of N.O.W. and did basicly the same kinds of things. These things included educating the community through our speakers bureau, press and media releases, going into the schools, providing support for women suffering from sexism in places such as on the job, and providing a conscious raising group.
We all dreamed of a time when all these inequalities, these injustices would be gone. It was hard to think when and exactly how that would happen, but we were optimistic. Never would any of us think sexism would still be as rampant as it is today, now, nearly 40 years later!
I continue to be amazed by the ignorance of the masses, the over reacton people have to the very word "feminist," our pay still laging behind, professsors and employer still giving women a harder time than men, expecting far more from women for lesser rewards, and many many other things.
One thing I find particularly offensive is when educated women not only do not ID as feminists, but also dislike or even hate feminists. I intend to write further on this subject.