This is an emotional day for many of us and, even as a man, I’m struggling to keep my emotions in check. I was raised by an ardent feminist and activist, Jacki Savage. She passed away over a decade ago but her activist legacy lives on in me and others she inspired.
I’m working out of my house today. As the Chair of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, I’m making sure emails and Facebook messages with questions and problems are addressed and making myself available to be a runner as needed. I just went out to get the mail and, on the day when we are poised to elect the first woman president, I got my “Woman Card” in the mail from the Clinton campaign. It made me think of my mom and how proud she would be of her country right now, Donald Trump and his Band of Merry Deplorables notwithstanding.
In the photo at the top there is her ERA bracelet and her 59 cent button. 59 cents was what a woman earned for every dollar a man earned for the same work back in the late 70s and early 80s. That’s what a “woman card” looked like back then. By the way, today it is still only 80 cents.
So, as I proudly sport my “I Voted” sticker today, I dedicate my vote to Jacki Savage, the woman who inspired me to be the organizer and activist I am today.
Namasté.
P.S. 53% of the votes cast for president in the 2012 election were by women. If women vote in those sorts of numbers and vote to send a strong message that sexism and misogyny are not acceptable in our country, Donald Trump doesn’t stand a chance.
