(ThyBlackMan.com) I’ll get right down it. Women are objectified on a constant basis in this world. The same holds true here in the United States of America. Our culture may be among the worst offenders in this particular area. Women as sex objects permeate our movies, television shows, songs of virtually every genre, magazine and newspaper articles, books, and our commercials. Entire industries are enriched by the objectification of women.
The fairer gender represents so much more than merely external appearance. With absolutely no disrespect to the national treasure that is Maya Angelou, women are more than just the span of their hips, the stride of their step, and the curl of their lips. These aren’t the only attributes which make women phenomenal. When I think about it, Maurice White – singer/songwriter/producer extraordinaire and founder of the preeminent R&B and contemporary jazz group Earth Wind & Fire – was right. It’s ‘All About Love’. For this beautiful song, Mr. White penned these lyrics: “Let the light shine, all through your mind/Built your little heart, aglow/Take the time, make up your mind/It’s all about love.”
Case studies on the American modern woman reveal some rather amazing statistics. On college campuses, female students outnumber male students; regardless of the major and regardless of whether we’re talking undergraduate level, graduate level, law school, or medical school. In today’s workplaces, women are typically more educated than their male counterparts; although the money they earn fails by and large to reflect this fact. At home, women are increasingly bringing in a bigger paycheck than their husbands do.
Yes, our society should be celebrating these things; but too many old guardians in positions of power are fighting these new realities tooth-and-nail. They long romantically for the days of yore when women were expected to be barefoot and pregnant. I suspect they want their America back. You know, the one in which women were model-caliber housewives in aprons maintaining a spotless house – waiting patiently for their husbands to arrive home from
work so they could dutifully serve him a hot meal and draw his bath. Oy vey – the days of Ozzie and Harriet gone away.
To the Republican leaders of this great nation, I humbly submit to you that it’s all about love. In order to love someone, you must first reach out to them. After outreach comes finding common ground. Common ground fosters trust. And with trust comes respect.
Sadly, the Grand Old Party doesn’t seem to love American women. The GOP doesn’t respect American women much. It certainly doesn’t trust them. Don’t take my word by it; the proof can be found in Republican policies directly affecting women. In the last 18 months alone, check out these Republican legislative moves: defunding Planned Parenthood, passing laws at an unprecedented rate in the states to deprive women of their reproductive rights, rejecting legal protections to women battered/abused by their husbands or boyfriends, enacting personhood laws whenever/wherever possible, attacking abstinence education in schools, attempting to redefine “legitimate rape” (what on earth?), fighting to criminalize contraceptives despite the fact that 99% of women use them, spreading the false narratives that President Obama is hostile towards women and that Obamacare would harm women instead of helping them, trying to institutionalize unnecessary transvaginal probes, refusing to address the surging instances of sexual abuse female soldiers suffer at the hands of male soldiers in our military, and even questioning the existence of the Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts, for heaven’s sake. Good people, those are only a few of the many examples I could cite. The Republican war on women isn’t theoretical; it’s actual. It’s real. You think Republicans have those ‘Moves like Jagger’? Try moves like Genghis Khan.
Here’s the truly hilarious thing about the GOP’s Flintstonian thinking: they pretend to be confused as to why it is their popularity with American women is dropping like an anchor from a naval ship. Is it any wonder why Republicans are losing elections left and right? They, too, have objectified women – and they’re paying the full price for doing so at the ballot box. Guess what? If they don’t course correct themselves – pronto – they can kiss the House in 2014 and the White House in 2016 goodbye.
It isn’t just the bend of their hair, the palm of their hands, or the need for their care which make women phenomenal. It’s also their wisdom, their feelings, and the great political power they wield. The President knows that. The Democrats know that. I know that. Apparently, the Republicans haven’t gotten the memo.
In the holy Bible, 1st Corinthians 13:13 says this: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” American women deserve our trust and respect. It really is all about love. Play it again, Maurice.
Staff Writer; Arthur L. Jones, III
This talented brother is a local Minister, weekly featured Democratic Op-Ed columnist, non-profit advisor, and sees the Braves winning it all this fall. Rev. Jones welcomes your comments! Please email him directly at: tcdppress@gmail.com.