Monday, January 22, 2018

Wait A Minute Cecile Richards! This White Woman Has Been Stepping Up In The Fight For Equality!

Dear Lit Loves,

Greetings, I was incensed to read that my dear "sister" Cecile Richards negatively singled out white women for not stepping up and saving our country from itself when she led a speech in Las Vegas on January 21st, 2018 in relation to the Women's March (which I fully support) and also about women in politics or #PowertothePolls (which I also fully support).  What I am upset with "sister" Cecile Richards about is that I or rather this ordinary, average white woman with a liberal tendency Has Been Doing Her Part To Advance Equality, Feminism And Inclusion, Damn it!! Not all of us have been sitting on the sidelines filing our nails or sitting with our heads in the sand, darling!! I was standing up to chauvinism, sexual harassment and "the good ole boys' club twenty years ago sister, and I continue to stand up to it today by self-publishing my own books relating my experiences.    Just because I am not an activist, organizer or candidate for public office does not mean I have not been doing my part to support those women who are taking on those roles and also attempting to promote the power of the female voice in this country.  And let's be real honest here, I know where my talents lie (writing and teaching) and even though I have been trying to break into traditional publishing by writing about the lack of equality in this country, the abundance of sexual harassment and the profuse degradation of women in our society, I have not exactly had Penguin Random House knocking down my door to sign me to a book deal.  You know why? Because they do not wish to sign those of us ordinary and average white women who have been on the front lines dealing with sexism, harassment, belittlement and pay inequality for much of our lives especially if we don't have prominence in the world and are not extremely well-known with five million Instagram followers.  Jesus and Mother Mary!  God forbid there be a traditional publisher who might sign and promote an unknown, feminist woman from the South who writes from a liberal standpoint about significant women's issues.  I might as well have signed my own death warrant when I decided to take up writing and the endeavor to be published traditionally!  What the heck was I thinking??!!!

You know who the traditional publishing industry wants to sign to write and discuss these particular issues?  People with big platforms such as celebrities, athletes, talk show hosts, business leaders, comedians and anyone who has over a million Twitter followers.  Just because I am not Ashley Judd, Reese Witherspoon or Oprah does not mean I am not doing my part to further the Feminist and Equality Causes.  This average southern white woman has been doing her part via self-publishing and book presentations to talk about how she's faced down some quite vile men and pushed the envelope when it comes to better pay and benefits for women.  Hell, I have even stood up to members of my own extended family, medical specialists, former colleagues, present day acquaintances and friends to promote the concepts of feminism, equality and a spirit of sisterhood.  And I have received backlash for it in some cases, but that did not stop me from speaking, writing, engaging, debating and in some cases arguing for the rights and dignity of women.  So no, we may not all be designed for political office, but that DOES NOT MEAN THIS WHITE WOMAN HAS NOT BEEN DOING HER PART TO SAVE THIS COUNTRY FROM ITSELF AND ADVANCE THE POWER OF WOMEN, MS. RICHARDS!!
Best Regards,
  "Sister" Grace