Yesterday was “Women’s Equality Day,” if you happened to miss it. I believe it commemorates the day women were given the vote. Anyway, my boss here told me that people are reading my blog, even if they’re too timid to speak up. So I was going to write a lot of stuff yesterday, basically do a Blogathon. Then, an emergency intervened, and I had to scrap the plans. So here I am, a day late, commemorating “Women’s Equality Day.”

I was watching TV on Sunday, and they were showing something about women in the military. So my first thought was: Thanks to women’s lib, we now have Fallen Women. Casualties of war. And to most people, they are just statistics. I believe this is the first war we have fought in in which women are serving in combat duty (maybe the Gulf War) and making the Ultimate Sacrifice.

In this case, is “equal” good? For the woman? For society?

Maybe, if you’re a single woman. But I have a problem with mothers of young children putting themselves in harm’s way. I can’t imagine two soldiers in uniform coming to my doorstep and saying, “Your Mommy died for her country.” I would surely be thinking: “Duh? Didn’t Mommy like me?” Luckily, there are better people than me.

So then you are left with Dad, who is probably also in the service.

I note that DH and I watched a documentary a few months ago which featured letters from soldiers who had died in Iraq, read by their loved ones. Interestingly, none of the featured female soldiers were mothers.

l I know people will squeal, but we all know it is better to grow up without a father than a mother. Underneath it all we’re apes, and there are plenty of monkeys that walk away from their children once they’ve sired them. On the other hand, women stick with their offspring.

You know that song, “Sometimes I feel like a motherless child?” It is a favorite of mine (sung by Mahalia Jackson), even though I just turned late 40’s. It hurts to lose a parent at any age. My mother is alive, worse than that, she gives me migraines.

Having said all this, I have the utmost respect for people who serve in the military. Recently, I found out from an obit in the Wash. Post that dear husband’s uncle had served in two wars, and also was the Chief Historian for the Marine Corps. Honestly, I felt like I had just met a very rich relative.

More on Women’s Lib.