#150: To be a woman in the United States

Thursday night I attended TEDx Boise Women.  There was a livestream of a 2 hour session from the TedWomen2015 conference in Monterey, CA.  Groups of women from around the world tuned in to hear just one session of this 3 day conference.  The lineup was impressive, though I had no idea what or whom I was going to hear when I went.  I just knew that TEDtalks are generally awesome.

from @Mydaughtersarmy tweet

There is no way I can relay what I felt when I heard these four speakers;  all I can tell you is I left full of gratitude that I am a woman in the United States;  that I spend much of my time worry about things that really, truly, are not important;  that millions of women around the world face circumstances every day that I have nightmares about;  that there MUST be something I can do to help.

Until inspiration strikes, I will spread the word about this issues out there and do my best to be present for the women in my life however I can.

I looked for the talks to link here, but they aren't posted on the ted website.  Here's the take-aways for me:

1. Women in some parts of the world are subjected to mutilation.  I can't even say more.  Google it.  It's awful.
2. Girls are married off as early as 11.  One of the speakers, Memory Banda, spoke about this issue from her own experience.
3. Education IS a way out of some types of opression.  Sakena Yacoobi from Afghanistan spoke about the education of women in her country before and after the Taliban.
4. Billie Jean King was funny and has been working for women's equality even before her stellar tennis career.
5. Mary Robinson, the first woman president of the Republic of Ireland (who was also the first sitting Irish President to travel to the United Kingdom and meet Queen Elizabeth) is working for climate justice through her foundation, the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice (as in people and countries losing their land due to rising water levels).
6. We are so lucky to be living in this country.  And we have work to do.