If Women Stopped Listening To Men, What A Wonderful World It Would Be

From a young age we girls are conditioned to listen to men, aren't we?  To seek out their approval.  To believe they have wisdom to impart to us.

Well get over that shit!

A big part of our problem is women and girls listening to men.  

"Oh so you're saying if a woman doesn't agree with you she's not thinking for herself?"

No, I'm saying that when an 18 year old teen girl holds the exact same political positions as her 50 year old white suburban conservative father, he's thinking for her.

You know, back in 2016, Gloria Steinem was interviewed and she discussed why so many female college students didn't care about electing the first woman President, but were Berners instead.

And Ms. Steinem said it was because when you are in college you want to go where the boys are, and  the boys were with Bernie.

Oh did the Beckys start squealing then.  Steinem ended up having to apologize but she never should have.

She was 100% right.  You Beckys were following the boys in college, and you know it.  You hide behind squawks of "THAT'S SEXISM!" and women like Steinem have to apologize, but I don't give a fuck about your little feelings.

I know what you did.  You know what you did.  So let's move on from your performative outrage.

The boys in 2016 were all with either Trump, or Peepaw.  Being for grandma just wasn't cool, but grandpa!  Man he's soooo cool!  And did you see that bird land outside!?  OMG!  A bird landed outside, for like, the first time ever, and did you see grandpa's face?!  OMG he's soooo cute!

And you, being a Dildock, followed the boys.  You certainly didn't want to be uncool.  

You know, I was no college student in 2016, but I had two men in my life who both got radicalized on the internet and became Berners.  One who used to be in my bed, and was trying to get back there, the second, who was currently in my bed.

I kicked both of them the fuck out and stopped speaking to them.  They really thought they were going to change my mind.  All day long they harassed me about Hillary Clinton, a woman whose shoes they aren't fit to get on their knees and lick clean.  You think I'm going to put up with that?  Why?  Because YOU put up with that?

Nah.  A long time ago my grandma told me the old saying about men being like buses; there's another one coming along in 15 minutes.

You've heard that too.  The difference between you and I?  I have the smarts and the self-confidence to believe it.

Well, plus I really don't like men that much.  They talk too much, maybe you've noticed?   And there's always one around for sex, so c'est la vie.

And then of course we have the Trump women.  

So, in 2016, my then 18 year old niece and her two best friends were set to vote for the first time.  I was completely befuddled that they were all voting for Trump.  Honestly so.  Like, I couldn't get my mind around it.  When I was 18 I would have been screaming in excitement to vote for a qualified woman President.  

So I asked them about it.  "Don't you care even a little about the first woman President?"

My brother opened his mouth to answer for them, of course, but then they scoffed at me themselves.  Literally scoffed, and started screeching that it doesn't matter!  

My brother shut his mouth, for one of the very few times I've ever seen.  And he crossed his arms, and sat there looking around at them as they squawked, with the most smug, self-satisfied smile on his face.

They had learned well.  Her friends' fathers were just like my brother; right wing conservative Republicans who want to control women.

And so they sat there speaking the exact thoughts of fifty year old, white, right wing, males, and would then tell me they were thinking for themselves.

But of course they weren't.  They never have.  Likely, they never will.

Don't I hold any hope for them?  No.  My niece's mother, my sister-in-law, told me, very recently, that she always votes Republican down the line.

Now, this part may sound like I'm making it up, but sadly I am not.  I had never seen a woman admit this before either.

She imitated her father showing her how to vote.  "You go into the booth, and you vote Republican next to every box".  She moved her hands like him as she repeated this.  Daddy's little puppet.

Then she informed me that she doesn't "know what you know" about politics.  You know, like details and shit.  But that my brother tells her what "she needs to know."

What the fuck do you do with that?

So she's never thought for herself, and her daughter never will either. 

My brother stated that when Roe was overturned it wouldn't matter in New York, because New York won't do that.  Only the red states will.

Meanwhile, he, his son, his wife, and his daughter, will run their asses out to vote for whichever Republican they choose to run against Hochul for Governor of NYS this November.  Trying to make NY a red state.  

How does that make sense?  You tell  me.

And of course, he doesn't give a fuck about women in Texas who will now have every miscarriage investigated as murders, who will be imprisoned.  Who will die.

Maybe worse, he is completely 100% ignorant of the FACT that the GOP is going to ban abortion nationwide as soon as they hold the house, the senate, and the white house.  The legislation is already written.  Both Mike Pence and Kevin McCarthy and others have, only over the past few days! all come out and told you that's what they're going to do.

But my brother doesn't know, and what's more, he doesn't give a fuck.

But my now 20-something niece repeats his words and thoughts and claims them as her own.

And that's never going to change.

Bernie's girls?

Well, they may change.  I bet their asses are stinging right about now.  But are they mad at the right people?  Are they mad at their college bf or college crush, who assured them "the supreme court doesn't matter!" or "they will never overturn Roe, that's just what the establishment dems use to scare you with!"

Or are they still brainwashed by that white dude who doesn't shower often?  Are they blaming Hillary Clinton?  Are they blaming me?

Well, that's going to differ.  But unlike the Maga's brainwashed little hand maidens, some of the Bernie girls will wake the fuck up and learn that you never trust a man with your rights.

Some never will, and they will do well to make themselves up and hit up a MAGA-girl girl's night out where they'll fit right in.  But you do have to put on A LOT of makeup first, or they will spot you coming.  Like, whatever you think is a shitload of makeup?  Double that. Once there, they will be way more comfortable than they would be at a local democratic organizing meeting, filled with black women.

What will they have in common?  They listen to men.  They listen to men talk about women's bodies and women's rights and nod their heads along as if they are hearing something worth listening to.

I used to think men knew everything too.  I mean, I was born in the same culture you were.   It's kind of a strange day when you realize how often they are wrong.  But you have to be paying attention.

And then you'll realize how often you're right.  And then you'll begin to trust yourself.  And then no one will be able to undermine your confidence in yourself.

And then you'll be free.