Being Pro-Woman Doesn’t Mean Anti-Man!

Sometime between 59 BC – 17 AD, Roman author and historian, Titus Livius, coined the phrase “Better late than never.” (Okay, so first off, let me tell you how dumb I felt when I realized that I didn’t know they had “historians” in 59 BC—let alone, that a quote like that came from “way back then” and has stood the test of time.)

It reminds me of the morning (not very long ago) when my 15-year old daughter asked me if there was hairspray, gel or mousse when I was a teenager. Imagine, my kids thinking hairspray was invented in the last 20 years!

The truth is most of us are totally ignorant about our past—our history—and about the people who came before us—be it Roman historians or our very own great-grandmothers. We are so caught up in our own lives, planning our futures, while focused on our wants, needs and frustration that we often disregard the wealth of knowledge and insight that comes from understanding our history.

Did you know, for example, that 100 years ago there was
NO COUNTRY in the world where a woman could vote, own property, or had any rights over her own body!

This really shouldn’t be that hard to believe considering our history: According St. Jerome, a 4th-century Latin father of the Christian church: “Woman is the gate of the devil, the path of wickedness, the sting of the serpent, in a word, a perilous object.” Thomas Aquinas, the 13th-century Christian theologian, said that “women’s unique role is in conception . . . since for other purposes, men would be better assisted by other men.”

Would it surprise you to read the 1955 Good Housekeeping Magazine article that told women “not to complain if your husband is late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. To count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work. And not to ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and, as such, will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.”

One of things I teach my daughters (since it is still not being taught in any high school) is that, in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote. “Nordic countries gave women the right to vote in the early 20th Century – Finland (1906), Norway (1913), Denmark and Iceland (1915). With the end of the First World War, many other countries followed – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Netherlands (1917), Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Sweden (1918), Germany and Lunenburg (1919). Spain gave women the right to vote in 1931, France in 1944, Belgium, Italy, Romania and Yugoslavia in 1946. Switzerland gave women the right to vote in 1971 and Liechtenstein in 1984. In Latin America, some countries gave women the right to vote in the first half of the 20th Century – Ecuador (1929), Brazil (1932), El Salvador (1939), Dominican Republic (1942), Guatemala (1956) and Argentina (1946). In India, under colonial rule, universal suffrage was granted in 1935. Other Asian countries gave women the right to vote in mid Century – Japan (1945), China (1947) and Indonesia (1955). In Africa, women generally received the right to vote along with men through universal suffrage – Liberia (1947), Uganda (1958) and Nigeria (1960). In many countries in the Middle East, universal suffrage was acquired after the Second World War, although in others, such as Kuwait, suffrage is very limited and still excludes women. One of the most recent jurisdictions to grant women full equal voting rights was Bhutan in 2008.”*

And what about my country—Canada? Well, we were staggered across provinces with most giving women the right to vote between 1917 and 1925 but with Quebec and the Northwest Territories following in 1940 and 1951 respectively. Thanks to these countries who thought about women’s empowerment.

Why do I find all this so important?

Because, as a woman’s advocate, (and “No!” that does NOT mean “anti-man”), it is so important for us—both women and men—to understand where we’ve come from and why there is still so much anger and frustration. (For God’s sake, it was only 50 years ago that we were told we had “no right to question our husband.”) Times are changing, slow and steady, and just as Titus said it so perfectly, it’s “better late than never!”

In the meantime, I urge you to learn about the people you came from. Learn about your history. In my book, Transcendent Beauty, I ask, “What kind of women did you come from? What is your grandmother’s name? How about your great-grandmother? And your great-great grandmother? If you don’t know them—learn them! And anytime you are alone or afraid, call their names out. You will feel an energy and power rise within you; I promise you they are never far away.”

Love,
Crystal

P.S.:- At my SWAT Institute (Simply Woman Accredited Trainer) we offer an incredible on-line interactive 12-month full-time or 3-year part-time EMPOWERMENT Coaching Program designed to improve the lives of women around the world. (And don’t forget men: When the women and children in your world feel safe, secure, and empowered, your life will improve as well!)