"What do we want?"
"Equality!"
"When do we want it?"
"Now!"
These were the chants that dominated the women's rights movement in the 1970s, and this weekend they were not far from the ears of nearly 100 Muncie residents and visitors.
On Saturday, I was invited to attend the Indiana state conference of the National Organization for Women - and I have to say it was a blast. The Muncie Unitarian Universalist Church was gracious enough to donate its facility to NOW for the conference, and amidst the peaceful setting, the flow of ideas and passion was unbridled.
Many individuals picture feminist and women's rights organizations as rage-filled groups of man-hating lesbians and divorcees who want to overthrow the government and kill anyone who considers holding open a door for a woman. This image, in addition to being absolutely untrue, does a disservice to the true mission of the caring and pro-active group with which I spent my day. At the conference, I witnessed persons of all ages, socioeconomic statuses, religious beliefs, sexual orientations and ethnicities united in a desire to advance the equality and treatment of women. The people were both male and female and included a number of students from Ball State and Purdue universities, not to mention retirees, parents, churchgoers and stay-at-home moms, among many others.
The goals of NOW are wide-reaching and sensible enough to be adopted by basically anyone. NOW fights for equal pay for equal work, reduction of family violence, awareness of women's issues, defense of reproductive freedoms and support for relevant legislative action, among other endeavors. These are the aspirations of a passionate group in touch with very real issues, not a radical faction with a chip on its shoulder.
Workshops were offered at the conference, including discussions on the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community, effective activism techniques and the personal and political aspects of reproductive health medications. The speakers were outstanding and extremely informative - including Michael Stevenson, former chair of the Ball State Department of Psychological Science.
Participants also shared stories of triumph and failure with each issue, raising questions and offering answers and support.
The keynote speaker was Olga Vives, a longtime activist and national executive vice president of NOW. She began her speech slowly, giving grim statistics in the voice of a news anchor, and over what seemed like a very short hour, she transformed into an electrifying presence. Her extensive experience and deep-seated zeal channeled clearly to the ears of the audience, which had no choice but to provide a standing ovation when she was finished.
After the results of the suspenseful silent auction were announced, an auctioneer proceeded to barter away a bevy of other fund-raising goods, including framed photographs and artwork, jewelry, housewares and original memorabilia from the early days of the women's rights movement.
The conference moved along at a good pace and was well-organized and fun. The staff provided a sense of welcome to all participants and fostered an atmosphere of acceptance and openness. Those with opinions contrary to the majority were never shunned or silenced; they were heard and considered, in marked contrast to the dynamics of other societal arenas.
In short, I felt very much at home and had an excellent time.
I even had the good fortune of winning a door prize.
Write to Marie at
lmzatezalo@bsu.edu
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