Wanna Be Feminist

In the school where I work the library aide is a wanna be feminist.

She wants to be a feminist. I think in her heart she really does.

Every year for the past few years she had made a window display in the library that highlights the achievements of women – Kevlar, windshield wipers, and other assorted inventions.

Famous women in history – Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, etc.

She puts out biographies of women that have achieved great things and changed history. Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, Susan B Anthony, and other reformers.

She speaks out for women's rights – equal pay, abortion access, women in politics (she's a fan of Zephyr Teachout) and so on.

You get the picture.

And the students ask her one simple question: Why is she an aide?

Why doesn't she go to college and become a full librarian?

Sometimes I think they want her to do it.

She says she's too old and that it would take too long.

How old was Rosa Parks when she helped start the bus boycott?

How old was Susan B Anthony when she finally saw women get the right to vote? After how many years?

What did Marie Curie achieve in a time when a woman's role was birthing babies, cooking, cleaning, and keeping her husband happy in whatever way he desired?

And she's too old.

And when I was working towards my Bachelor's degree I had men and women older than me at the time and her now in the classes I was taking. And they were serious about graduating and getting a job with the degree.

When I was pursuing my teaching certificate (Masters Program) I had men and women in their “second” career (they had retired from their first job and always wanted to teach, so back they went.) I'm talking fifties and sixties.

And she's too old to start.

The students don't want to read a story about what someone did – they want to talk to someone that is doing it.

They want the real thing.

And she is more interested in getting caught up on NetFlix shows and keeping up on the latest fashion.

Never mind that a Masters Degree in Librarian Sciences would more than double her current income. She wouldn't have to worry about making ends meet. 

No more “Obama phone” - she could get a much better device and not worry about running out of minutes.

Car repairs would not break the bank.

And she could still watch her NetFlix.

And so on.

But the homework would interfere with keeping up on the crass corporate commercial culture that she so loves.

And so the students don't take her seriously.

The district where I work is poor and many students have no oner to look up to.

They don't want a book - they want a person that they can identify with.

They want to hear it from someone real.

Someone that they can identify with.

And they aren't finding it in her.

And so she talks feminism and nobody listens.

Because actions speak louder than words.

And no one is listening.

So another Women's History Month passes on with nothing changing.

Because there's no one to follow.