I feel grateful for the stories of Carolyn Dreyer, Linda Smith and June Hartly. I will humbly submit some family stories and some reflections on efforts made advance society in the direction of affirming women’s inherent worth and dignity.
Instead of beginning with jokes today, I will share some internet memes. Some may amuse and some may agitate. I encourage us to hear how each offers insight regarding societal treatment of women.
“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”
G.D. Anderson.
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
Audre Lorde.
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” Coco Chanel.
“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” Rebecca West.
My mother told me to be a lady, and for her that meant be your own person, be independent. Ruth Bader Ginsberg
If men could get pregnant, abortion clinics would be like Starbucks
There would be two on every block, four in every airport, and the morning after pill would come in different flavors like sea salt and cool ranch.
5 reasons men should participate in housecleaning
#1 You _____ live here (expletive deleted)
#2 You _____ live here
#3 You _____ live here
#4 You _____ live here.
#5 You _____ live here.
Pict of gene wilder as Willy Wonka
Oh we can’t pass gun laws because that treads on your liberty.
Tell me more about how me must regulate marriage and vaginas.”
The next meme said “She is someone’s sister, daughter, mother, wife.” And the first four words were circled. (She is someone)
Michelle Obama
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”
(picture of a man)Cat calling isn’t harassment. It’s a compliment.
But a gay guy better not hit on me. That’s gross!
What do you call a woman who has a lot of sex? (A member called out “Lucky!” and the congregation roared in laughter)
A: her name
“Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton speech to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, 1995.
The old days were so much better…
If you were white male hetero protestant cis gendered rich Anglo Saxon.
You can always tell ambitious women by the shape of their heads.
They are flat on top from being patted patronizingly
“Nevertheless, she persisted.”
When you are a feminist, and someone tries to insult you by telling you no man will ever marry you
“You have no power here.”
“A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.”
― Gloria Steinem
UU tradition promotes equality and humanity! Increasingly, we UUs have come to understand the dismantling of society’s systems of oppression as our religious path. It is a religious act because oppression impedes human capacity for faith; to know divine beauty, love and blessing inherent in the interdependent web of existence.
In my last sermon I suggested that our UU tradition invites us to offer generous interpretations, and bring a generous spirit to matters of religion. Today we are concerned with the second aspect and purpose of liberal religion, liberation. Our tradition asks us to try to understand and dismantle oppression.
Liberation is similarly at the core of Judaism. The Talmud instructs “to save one person is to save an entire world.” Something within us cries out whenever the dignity and worth of a human being is desecrated.
Today we reflect and celebrate efforts that have expanded liberty. The world is a better place because of the efforts of women and their allies who have resisted the machinations of sexism. We honor these efforts without denying the continuation of the brutality of sexism, and without making light of threats on the horizon. With great spirit and enthusiasm, we UUs celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month!
Deep bows to the women who shared stories with us today. With great pride as well as humility I will add recollections and reflections of some family history.
My Aunt Bell was the first woman to work on the floor of the stock exchange. We had a framed picture of her from the first page of the New York Times on the 50thanniversary of the stock exchange.
In my youth, I loved going into NYC to see my aunts Bell, Simma and Ruth. Simma was a buyer long before women had such positions. Ruth was a store manager for Macy’s. Macy’s called her out of retirement due to her leadership.
IMO 20th century Jewish society was considerably more progressive than America’s norm. Women’s intelligence was expected and their leadership in temples and synagogues was reality. From this platform, scores of Jewish women sprung into leadership in progressive and humanitarian organizations throughout the country.
Many of you know, my mother was Catholic. In thinking of her, I feel very grateful, humble as well as remorseful for the ways that sexism kept me from a fuller appreciation of her strength, brilliance and sacrifice. My mother was the oldest of 14. As a teenager she became the breadwinner for the family. She did not have the opportunity for college education.
My mother worked throughout my childhood. In the 60’s, she ran her own business, a slot car race track. In 1970, my mother became the manager of a fabric store at Willowbrook mall, which at the time was the world’s largest enclosed shopping mall. Soon though, she and my father opened five shoe stores. Years later when they sold the stores, my mother got a job as an office manager, and was quickly promoted to business manager.
My mother was also a handy woman. She would get phone calls from neighbors and family members. “Aunt Teresa, how do you remove wall paper?”
I know only a little but enough to say confidently that my mother had to overcome many limitations placed upon her as a women in society. I regret that I took her sacrifices for granted. I regret my underappreciation of her. I know that I have enjoyed countless privileges and opportunities because of sacrifices she made.
I am grateful to have grown up in a liberal family where politics were nightly discussed. Because my three brothers were draft during the Vietnam war, I leaned into the hippy anti-war, anti-establishment culture. I had heroes like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Bobby Kennedy, and Shirley Chisolm. As an undergraduate Feminist writers began their influence upon me. This expanded greatly in seminary. Hungry and persistent in my learning, feminism enabled me to slowly and gradually increased my capacity to correct perceptions and thoughts skewed by sexism. The world taught me to credit men and expect men to fill all leadership roles. The influence of classism taught us to give credit and think more highly of the rich and famous. It has taken a persistent effort to expose and challenge societally installed biases. I now realize that most heroes are not recognized by society.
Affirming that we have “Pioneers among us” challenges the sexism and classism that would have us overlook the heroic in the ordinary. It’s a pleasure to put a spotlight on the pioneer efforts made by women in our congregation. Together women’s efforts achieved many great victories in the past 50 years. Currently we mourn and we wish to halt the current attack on women’s rights. We celebrate advances won through the struggles of 2nd wave feminists as a way to strengthen us for the work ahead.
We began the service with the Neville brother’s song “Thank you Sister Rosa.” It’s joyous and empowering to honor and celebrate women like Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King. Let us also realize that we know relatively few of the names of the women whose shoulders we stand upon.
This week Audra Arr informed me of a woman who preceded Rosa Parks.
Nine months before Rosa Parks helped spark the 1955 Montgomery Bus boycott, 15 year old Claudette Colvin was arrested in the same city of Montgomery for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a crowded bus. Colvin’s case was dropped by civil rights campaigners because she was unmarried and pregnant. Rosa Parks said: “If the white press got ahold of that information, they would have [had] a field day. They’d call her a bad girl, and her case wouldn’t have a chance.” Colvin’s circumstances would not have served the movement. That role fell to Rosa Parks, secretary of her local NAACP chapter.
Classism would have us believe that progress is achieved only by rich and famous people who are better than any of us. I believe that Earth-shaking historical events result from the efforts of scores of nameless heroes. History doesn’t emerge from nothing. Collective effort to ignore Anita Hill’s testimony gave us Clarence Thomas on the supreme court. It was the effort of many with the leadership of Stacy Abrams that showed the nation what the people of Georgia could do. It was the courage and tenacity of the January 6th committee that created the conditions that led Cassidy Hutchison to show us the power of truth could do.
Each of us rests upon sleepless nights spent by our mothers. History doesn’t record their names, and their impact is no less profound! You moms here today, and all of us are pioneers of a world that future generations will see.
We celebrate and give thanks for the 2nd wave feminist women whose shoulders we stand upon. We honor their efforts as well as our own. Each of us did the best we could to resist limits being placed upon women. Today we affirm and commit ourselves to carry forward the struggle for liberation.
We will seek help to fortify our courage. We will sing songs of freedom, and dance onward into nonviolent revolution! We choose to bring forward love, love that will transform our world and each of us!
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