WE f-ing Rock!!

Disorienting over Women’s Rights

I have been disorientated a lot since Friday, June 24th when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. How did this happen? How did we take our (real) eyes off what was happening? Are we passive? Are we delusional that things are better than they are?

“It seems that younger women don’t understand that they need to activate”, we older women say to each other. Where does that come from? I have been focused the past 10 days on what a poor job those of us 40-70 have done to continue the fight started by women of generations before us. Disgusted and frustrated with the majority of us. And, I put my 56 year old self in that majority.

This morning, out of nowhere, I got some enlightenment. My mind’s eye orientated and I saw the reality of us 40-60 year olds. WE did continue the fight. WE have moved things forward. WE have been pretty darn good. What did we do?

WE seized the opportunities carved out for us. WE went to university. WE got masters and PhDs. WEbecame doctors and lawyers and bankers and researchers. WE entered the work force and worked with laser focus and determination to overcome all the obstacles put in front of us. WE rose into management positions, became Vice Presidents, Presidents and CEOs of corporations. WE became entrepreneurs and self made millionaires and billionaires. WE became professors and Presidents of universities. We became inventors and astronauts. We entered politics and have risen to Congresswomen, Senators, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State and Vice President of this great country. And yes, WE got on the Supreme Court.

And WE did all of this while we still had children, ran households and took care of our elderly parents. WE went through the doors that those women before us opened up. WE have been amazing.

WE have accessed strength and energy that no man has. But while doing all of this, we have been so busy. In doing our part of the fight, we have missed what was brewing underneath our rise, to be knocked back. I am 100% sure that if we hadn’t been so bad ass and busy moving forward, we would have seen it. But then again, if we weren’t so bad ass, they wouldn’t be trying to eliminate our rights.

And now the best part. The thing about us women is you can keep putting things on our plates and we just get better. WE get more focused, more efficient and perform miracles with our energy and time.

So come on ladies (and I am speaking to the 40-70 year olds), let’s roll up our sleeves a little bit higher. WE got this. WE need to do this for the 15-30 year olds because they need to continue OUR work: of studying, working and reaching every glass ceiling that exists. They need to do that while falling in love, setting up beautiful homes and raising families.

I just got really orientated and see the way forward. I hope you can see it too.

Author: Cathie Geraci.

July 6th 2022.