Equality Doesn’t Mean
Removing Rights
Janet Kuypers
8/27/22
The other day was the anniversary of the day the
19th Amendment was certified in the United States,
Giving women the right to vote.
On anniversaries past, I have reflected upon
How we women have come a long way, baby*
But we have to keep looking happy*—
Like, we must be grateful for all women’s strides
These men have let us accomplish — succeeding,
While we’re still under their thumb.
So, I thought it was funny to see that yesterday
Our U.S. President called it “Women’s Equality
Day”, and at the White House they’d
Focus the day on Abortion Rights.** How good
Of them, when another govt. branch (possibly
Rightfully so) Overturned Roe
V. Wade to allow the states to decide. I don’t
Think the entire country realized what a giant
Catastrophe that might be for
Over half of the people in this nation. I didn’t
Know if the White House would have some
Sort of festival for the day, or what,
Until I heard that they actually met with
State and local leaders to discuss ways to
Safeguard access to abortion...
Which has been under such duress, in such
Peril, since it seems half of these states now
Stole women’s basic rights.
In fact, the President continues suggesting
That the only way to reverse this injustice
Is in our future voting choices.
So, how appropriate, on the anniversary
Of the day we gained the right to vote, that
I hear his call. Today of all days.
#
Have you ever heard the allegory, the story,
That a baby may seem content on their own,
But show them a treat —
Let them hold it for a while, then abruptly
Take it away from them. That’s when the
Baby starts crying, now robbed.
This is what goes through my head now, after
Women have made such accomplishments in life
After being held back so long,
And then, with the stroke of a pen, it seems that
Floodgates have been opened for... usually rural,
Conservative, white men
To bring women back to the dark ages again.
They say we’ve accomplished so much, and then
I wonder: have we really.
* http://scars.tv/kuypers/poems/2019/keep-looking-happy.htm
** https://www.reuters.com/legal/white-house-marks-womens-equality-day-
with-abortion-rights-push-2022-08-26/
| 
