March brings women’s reflection
Hillary Smith
It’s March, which means the time has come to celebrate all the women of our history who helped pave the path for the women of the future. The future is still to come and Nancy Hellner, Director of Women’s Studies, believes humanity has a long way to go.
It all began in the summer of 1848, when a small group of women had a discussion over tea about their right to have a voice.
Many women had the same discussion before but nothing had come out of it.
After years of conventions and petitioning during the 19th century, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Lucy Stone and many other activists won the women’s right to vote.
The Women’s Rights Movement changed many things that today’s young females are unaware of.
Think about being under the complete control of your husband.
He could do what ever he wants, even beat his wife, and the law would do nothing.
Imaging taking every thought a woman has and putting them back in her head.
The voice of woman was not to be heard unless asked for, and would not be an opinion that was asked for.
Some women sit in classrooms here in college and think nothing of it.
Back in those days women had no further education due to colleges and university’s refusal of their attendance.
In the last 30 to 40 years women’s roles in society have changed rapidly through the movement.
Today there are more women in bachelor programs than there are men.
“Women’s Rights Movement empowered not only women, it also gave everyone the choice,” Hellner said.
If women want to stay home or work they can and men have the same choice.
There are just as many women changing the world today as there was back then. For instance a woman running to be president.
“It’s good she doesn’t play the gender card,” Hellner said of Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton.
For any student wanting to enrich in this knowledge MCC offers an academic certificate in women’s studies. The course focuses on women’s experiences and perspectives throughout history.
A women’s studies conference will be held at MCC on March 20.
The event will be held in the Zuni Room lounge starting at 8:30 a.m.
