Women’s equality is still a dream

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.)
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

Like African Americans, women have not yet achieved equality. We’re still trying to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Not until the 1970’s women’s history was virtually unknown as to the contributions women continue to make to the world. When women did get some recognition, it was for only one week. We’ve finally, like African Americans, graduated up to a month, but as much as women do to make this a better world, I submit to you women should be honored in some way every day. I doubt that many people haven’t even thought about the fact that while we have numerous men honored with a federal holiday (without deserving one), there is not a single woman with such an honor!

It is time for us to enlist some of those men to support women by working for a federal holiday in the name of Rosa Parks for her bravery in sitting on that bus on December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama. She did it without fear of what would happen to her. Her courage was significant not just for women, but for all of us. On that day, the whites in charge wanted to keep pushing her to the back of the bus but she refused. We’re at a point in our country where many in charge of creating our laws are still trying to push women back by eliminating Roe v. Wade, and more recently ruling that frozen embryos are children! Immediately after that decision, one of the leading anti-women’s rights promoters, Thomas Hawley Tubberville of Alabama, proclaimed “We need more kids!”

He had not even read the decision but he had his answer on the case ready. I guess reading, analyzing, and taking a position in favor of women and children is not something the Senator of Alabama is not required to do! I pray that men like him don’t have daughters or granddaughters who could be negatively impacted by his votes. Wouldn’t it be great if their votes turned out to negatively impact his return to the Senate when he faces the voters? What is it that gives men like him (and a lot of others in his party) the right to control the bodies of women?)

No matter how hard you try, you will not find a single thing he has done since he’s been in Washington, D.C. to help that would take care of the least of these – not women, not children.

On another subject, many American women, salute Yulia Navalny’s courage during Women’s History Month for her announcement that she’ll carry on her late husband’s work, and we honor Yulia. She no longer has to be called the 1st Lady of Russian Opposition because she is now the Leader of Russian Opposition! Those of us who are activists in America, love Alexi Navalny and we thank Yulia and Alexi’s mother, Lyndmila, for upholding the name of Alexi Navalny.

The crowds of people who showed up for Navalny’s celebration of life is the strongest evidence of the love of the Russian people for Navalny.

What just happened in Russia should show us how important it is to vote for our democratic leaders and have those votes count. For the man in America who wants to be president again and has shown us he likes authoritarians like Putin, it’s obvious he wants to become one. Take note of what these people do when they’re not subject to democracy and its rules. Please don’t fall for the gold sneakers with the T on them. The sneakers aren’t going to help you if you have a man in the White House who already identifies you with crime. Honor your mothers during Women’s History Month by promising them you won’t vote for a self-declared dictator!

Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society.

This article originally published in the March 11, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.