Chris Jepson: On educating our daughters

“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” — Equal Rights Amendment

It remains puzzling to me why anyone opposed the Equal Rights Amendment. On track to become Constitutional law in the 1970s, it was essentially defeated by Republicans – Republican women specifically. This begs the question, “Why?”

Former President Jimmy Carter has a new book out titled “A Call to Action. Women, Religion, Violence and Power.” In it President Carter writes:

“I saw the ravages of racial prejudice as I grew up in the Deep South. Today, there is a similar system of discrimination that touches every nation. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by the false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts. This is not just a women’s issue. It affects us all.”

It has been accurately observed that the GOP historically (since the ’70s) has opposed equality for women in America by promoting traditional gender roles as well as fanning the fear that female equality would guarantee abortion rights. Back in the 1970s, opponents of the ERA (led by Republican conservative Phyllis Schlafly) argued that women would serve in combat, alimony would be eliminated, and that single-sex bathrooms would become law.

What is it with Republican women that they do not stand in solidarity with their sisters on the issues of equal pay, access to healthcare and the elimination of gender bias in American culture? A clue to their perspective can be gleaned by how Phyllis Schlafly would sometimes open her speeches opposing the ERA with, "I'd like to thank my husband for letting me be here tonight." Understanding Schlafly’s actual career and life, you might question that homage to her husband, but it does reflect a certain subservience to masculine authority.

Is it that Republican women simply drink the Kool-Aid and parrot the historic male chauvinism of their party? To get along, you go along?

About 40 years ago I became aware of a practice in some African cultures that set me back on my heels. The procedure is the removal of the clitoris of young girls. It eliminates any sexual pleasure and reduces the female to merely a vessel of procreation. It often creates unimaginable health problems, and estimates suggest that nearly 130 million women worldwide have undergone this abomination.

What stunned me about this practice is who actually performs the procedure. Women do this to other females. How could women ever do this to one another? It is in response to the “cultural traditions” of historic male authority to control female sexuality (fertility).

I again pose the question, “What is it with Republican women that they do not stand in solidarity with their sisters on the issues of equal pay, access to healthcare and the elimination of gender bias in American culture?”

Oh, Republican women will argue, “Laws of equality are unnecessary.” Capitalism will correct for economic injustice, the market always dictates a “workers” true value and remuneration. Except that is inaccurate and you have the recent example of Republican state legislatures attempting to require vaginal probes of women seeking healthcare procedures.

Could it be that Republican women oppose equality for their sex out of ignorance, religious doctrine, fear and subservience?

Regardless, America needs to do a much better job of raising and liberating our daughters. And our sons, too.