Mic on Monday: Opening Doors

Good day, AUTHENTIC!

Young men are taught to open doors for ladies. Young women are taught to enter these doors and cross these thresholds. However, when a young man fails to open a door for a lady or when a young woman fails to enter the door and cross the threshold, both are considered deviants or less than man or less than woman.

This weekend my boyfriend took me on a tour of the local aquarium. The animals, the sea life, the people were great. The smells...not so much. But I digress. During one portion of the tour, I witnessed a young girl (no more than 3 or 4 years old) standing with her hands akimbo, complaining to her parents. The father was holding the door open for the little girl and her mother. The mother passed through the door and waited for the young girl to follow suit. However, this precious little mama had something on her mind. As I got closer within earshot, I could hear her explaining to her father, "I want to hold the door for myself." The father watched somewhat amused and a bit confused. Enter the mother. Mom recrossed the threshold and squatted down to eye-level for her daughter and said, "When a man holds a door open for you, you walk through it. You are a lady. That's what ladies do."

"But I'm not lady. I'm a little girl," replied the smart little girl...with some stank on it.

"Well, little girls become ladies when they grow up," explained the mother.

"No they don't!"

"Not if they act like you. Now quit causing a scene and get through this door," commanded the mother.

The father had checked out of this exchange and had focused his attention on the growing bundle of people waiting to walk through the door his daughter sought diligently to not walk through. And this is where my pissedoffedness enters. The mother smacked the little girl on the cheek, grabbed her hand, and told the father, "Come on. We gotta go. She's probably just sleepy and cranky."

Views on corporeal punishment aside, this situation upset me and puzzled me.

Why couldn't the parents allow the little girl to open the door for herself? Why did the mother equate ladyhood with crossing thresholds? Why was the father absent from the conversation?

Am I the only person who thinks that this would have been the perfect opportunity for the parents to recognize their daughter's desire for independence as a growing woman? Why did they not encourage her self-reliance?

Ladies of AUTHENTIC, I need answers.

Till next time...

get up.

get real.

get AUTHENTIC.

m./e

Word of Wisdom: Eleanor Holmes Norton

“There are not many males, black or white, who wish to get involved with a woman who's committed to her own development” - Eleanor Holmes Norton

Born June 13, 1937, this mover and shaker of patriarchial and socio-econmomic hindrances is a Delegate to Congress representing the District of Columbia. In her position, Eleanor Holmes Norton is able to serve on and vote with committees, as well as speak from the House floor. However, she is not permitted to vote on final passage of any legislation because she is not a full member of Congress. In the early 1970s, Eleanor Holmes Norton was a signer of the Black Woman’s Manifesto, a classic document of the Black feminist movement. (Source)

Spring is near and the birth of blossoms carry Mother Universe's promise of second chances and new life. Growth is integral to good health & success. Remember this when your commitment to your worth's manifestation begins to pale.

Get the hump out ya' back.

get up.
get real.
get AUTHENTIC.

m./e

Mic on Monday: Happy Women's History Month!

Happy March, AUTHENTIC! March marks the celebration of Women's History. AUTHENTIC's hand is on the pulse of this history. A history marked with Michelle Obama (First Lady of the United States of America), Venus and Serena Williams (tennis professionadas and moguls), Alicia Keys (singer/songwriter/actress), Queen Latifah (singer/actress/producer), and Fatima Robinson (choreographer). Women's History month 2009 is the start of a redefinition and reclamation of feminine energy and its works. Change and the transcending of the shackles of insensitive patriarchy, - Women of AUTHENTIC - you make this happen.

However, there is still much to be done.

In Brazil, a nine-years old girl is pregnant with the twins of her step-father. He is said to have molested her since she was six years old.

And (below), a confined young girl in Seattle, Washington, is beaten senseless by TWO officers.



And my friend Nikki, just witnessed the trial of her rapist be put on hold...because HIS family had unexpected circumstances. Apparently, the fact that their son raped a woman doesn't warrant any humanity. Nikki's life is still in this insecure boy's hands, and his parents are not willing to acknowledge this very big piece of information.



Thus, change must come. Through art, through song, through word, humanity and compassion must overcome the recession of postive energy our world is experiencing. Obama may offer a bailout for our pockets, but it is up to us to bail out our hearts and minds. Dear women of AUTHENTIC, please extend your hand in change and fight to extinguish the blatant inconsistencies of our government, our communities, and our homes.


Happy Women's History Month!

get real. get change. get AUTHENTIC.

mic