Time is Running Out

It’s finally starting to set in; we only have a few days left at Brown. Deadlines are approaching and everyone is starting to really focus on their schoolwork. Today in class, we spent most of the day working on our actions plans along with our newsworthy article presentations.

Tomorrow, I will give a speech about an article relating to the status of women in society. I chose an editorial from the New York Times that address the fact that many laws passed recently are detrimental to the standing of women in society. Such laws include a ban of public funding for Planned Parenthood and Title X in several states and the banning of abortions early on in the pregnancy. I feel that political leaders have not intended lower the standing of women, but do so unknowingly not understanding the power of their actions.

Today in class, we also discussed our interviews. Each student interviewed a woman at least one generation older than himself or herself. The interviewee was asked questions relating to their feeling on women’s rights and how the standing of women in society has changed during their lifetime. Talking to other students about their interviews enabled me to see that answers to the interview questions varied greatly depending on the woman’s cultural and religious beliefs. It is clear to me that everyone has a different opinion on the current standing of women in society.

After class, I went on a run with two other girls in the Women and Leadership Program. Even though I’ve been in Rhode Island for over two weeks, I’m still not used to the hot, humid weather. It felt like I was breathing water. That might actually be partially accurate due to the heavy rain we experienced on our run.

This evening, everyone in the Women and Leadership class came together for community time. Today we watched a movie that portrayed the Women’s Suffrage Movement realistically. It followed the leaders of the movement and portrayed their many struggles and eventual success for the right for women to vote. It was amazing for me to see the strength and passion of these women. At one point the leader of the movement was put into jail and refused to eat; she was willing to die for her cause. The right for women to vote did not come without a fight and I believe that in order to achieve absolute equality both men and women must continue to fight.