Bitchfest

Yesterday I roller-bladed to the Nyack Library to see if they had The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennett. They didn't - it's on order. I walked away with 3 books, Bitchfest - 10 years of of Bitch magazine - 1996- 2005, You're Wearing That - converstaions between mother and daughters, and (I can't remember the third about the joys of stay at home women)

I somehow missed Bitch Magazine. I was busy working on the Enron account and falling in love with financial matters. Yes, the web allowed me to do my first stock trade and I loved tracking companies and making money.

I started reading the Mother Daughter book and put it down after the first chapter. I took Bitchfest with me on the train. I feel like I missed out on Bitch Mag. But I think if I had it instead of the WSF and FT, I wouldn't be where I am today.

When I was 18, I got a fundraising mailer from ERAmerica. They were an organization to extend the passage of the Equal Right Amendment for another three years. I didn't have any money so I sent an letter asking to be a summer intern at their Washington, DC offices. That summer, 1981, President Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Conner to the Supreme Court. This was a highlight of my summer. I called the State offices in AZ and spoke with her secretary. I reported back she was one of us. And as history has shown - she was pretty close to me. I've moved a little left with the latest Supreme Court. Now I identify with Ginsberg.

I realized that summer that the women in the office still really wanted a husband. I found a boyfriend (law clerk) within two weeks of being in WDC. I was also surprised they were so into Diana's wedding that summer. I couldn't have cared less. I even thought Diana's dress was downright ugly. So not aa fashion girl.

Playing Softball on the mall that summer and working DNC parties, I noticed a particular Congresswomen making all the rounds. I was doing the party thing and she was everywhere. I wanted to come back to WDC to be with my BF and to work for her on Capital Hill. I was selected to be an intern for Geraldine Ferraro. I didn't really like her. We parted ways before my internship was over. However, her AA got me an internship at the DNC. I was a decent softball player and being female actually helped.

As I read Bitchfest I will be adding ruminations. Mainly about who I am and how I want to raise of my daughter. She's 2-1/2 now and into the princess thing. I grew up in the 60's and always hated the fact that girls and boys were treated differently. My tomboy passion of the 70's and 80's stems from this inequality. I hoped it would have changed by now. It hasn't.