a bird and a bottle

Today (March 8th) is both International Women’s Day and Blog Against Sexism Day. It’s actually been harder than I expected to figure out what to write. In part because I write about sexism all the time (and wish I had saved that Salon article for this post), and in part because of the enormity of sexism that persists.

So I think I’ll just do this: Here is a non-exhaustive list of my prerequisites to achieving true sex equality.

* equal pay for equal work
* an expectation of joint responsibility in family-raising and fewer hours in the office for both parents
* free childcare and national healthcare
* the repeal of the Hyde Amendment and the expansion of access to family planning services
* marriage equality
* immigration laws that allow families to stay together
* comprehensive sex ed without shame or judgment and access to birth control & E.C.
* The shutdown of AutoAdmit
* Decreased media scrutiny of female celebrities’ appearance and sex lives
* greater acceptance of fathers as caregivers
* an expansion of transgender rights (and acceptance)
* The end of debates about who is a “better” feminist that revolve around makeup, clothing choices, etc.
* An end to sex trafficking and the decriminalization of prostitution (allowing sex workers greater protections)
* real economic opportunity for women regardless of socio-economic status and real government support for women who need it (this includes a move to a living wage as opposed to a minimum wage)
* Religion that brings people together around social justice and acceptance rather than hate and division
* Employment (and other) law that takes account of pregnancy instead of punishing it

Ok, so it’s a wishlist (and an idealistic starter one at that). But I think that Blog Against Sexism Day is an opportunity to think realistically about the deep roots of sexism, and about the ways in which it can - and cannot - be isolated from other social problems.

That’s my foray. Now it’s your turn. I hope you all (dear readers) will take advantage of comments and suggest changes that you see as necessary if we are ever to achieve real sex equality.