That's a line from Braveheart that I always hear in my head - not sure why - but I said it again as I read Betty Friedan's obituary and a great article about the state of feminism today from Salon. (Full text here - not sure how long the link will be live.)
Of all the historical figures of the feminist movement, Betty Friedan was always the one I identified with most. Kevin would say it was her aversion to vacuuming that drew me to her -- and while I don't doubt it -- there is more to it than that. I was 10 in 1972 and my mom became involved for a time in the women's rights movement, particularly in respect to the Catholic Church. I marched in ERA rallies, condemned sexism as a sin, attended women's ordination conferences and was exposed to strong women with strong opinions from a very early age. I have no doubt that much of what I heard and witnessed has shaped how I think today - though I don't think I appreciated it much before now.
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