I am so happy to be reminded and informed by the NPR recent reviews of the women's liberation movement both in Utah and across the nation. I recall the day of the Utah Womens Conference I was making a presentation at the University of Utah where I was then attending class. After I finished, a board member of the Utah Division of Alcoholism and Drugs(where I worked) approached me and enquired as to whether I was going downtown to the womens conference which was being held at the Salt Palace. When I said yes she said I might want to reconsider because there was going to be a huge confrontation as bus loads of women were being sent in from all over the state to confront the push for ERA. I was surprised and somewhat shocked. I knew and had worked with some of my colleagues who were in the planning stages. My own role was simply to talk about the growing and unusual rates of Utah women's use of over-the-counter and prescribed drugs.
As I walked to the doors of the conference hall I observed gatherings of women, lists on paper which I assumed had something to do with the agenda, and occasionally men who stood amongst the women discussing the various subjects. My own small group presentation was filled and the women were respectful and had many questions. Most of their worried concerns were to object to family therapy which they believed could be destructive. My goal had been to get them to consider their own independent thinking with regard to purchasing, selecting and depending on drugs and to talk to their physicians more about the reasons and the effects of those prescribed. The up-side down result was that they seemed to blame the physicians for the existence of their drug problem. If he or she prescribed then that was obviously what they should do and they were not to blame. Whatever.........
Well I don't know what Beverly White, Karen Shepherd and some of the other great women are doing who faced off during those times are all doing to day. Still working I hope. My daughter and my granddaughters and my great granddaughter I hope will and have benefited from those efforts. My husband was surprised to think that after all these years ERA has never been passed. I never marched, I never threw away my bras. I think I read the Feminine Mystique.
Soon to be an Octogenerian, I told Ed that I should name my blog, Octopussy. He said that has already been taken. I am so behind the times. So many years, so many tears. I said to one of my dearest friends, I hope, in 2016, to vote for Hillary Clinton. I would not have voted for her before but I am reading a book about her by Bernstein, and it has changed my mind. I will vote and I would like you to think about it.
Her comment. _" I don't think I will be here in 2016 to vote." Our generation is passing. Hopefully we have passed on attributes to our kinswomen that they can be what they want to be, Senators, Mothers, Housewives, Lesbians. Marines; and that they and all women contribute immensely to this life we live.
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