Monday's Motivational Makeover - Vernal Equinox a good day to promote Gender Equality!

Yes, today is the first "official" day of Spring. The wet snow accumulating here in the NE somehow sends a mixed message.

One thing I recall from the Meteorology course I took in college is that the forces that drive our weather patterns are constantly looking for ways to reach "Equilibrium".

Weatherbug.com describes this as "A condition in which all acting influences are canceled by others, resulting in a stable, balanced, or unchanging system."

Coincidentally, the term "equinox" means "equal light" referring to the fact that today there should be as much daylight as nighttime.

Wouldn't it be great if we could strike a similar balance in our own lives? Between work and life, plenty and poverty, happy and sad?

More importantly, can we have a "gender Equinox" where for at least one day out of every year we learn to respect the equality of the Sexes and the contribution both have made toward the betterment of society, our economy, and our children?

If any of you agree, I say we declare the Vernal Equinox "Global Gender Equality Day" and start a movement to get the UN or similar organization to pass a Resolution to this effect.

Thursday's Truth - St. Patrick was actually Scottish and a 5th Century A.D. Women's Advocate

I know most of you are aware of this. And I hope this will not put a damper on any St. Patrick's activities you may have planned!

What you may not know is that there is strong evidence to suggest he voiced strong opposition to Female Slavery, a widespread practice among the Druids in Ireland during the the 5th Century A.D.

Adamnan of Iona, a student of St. Patrick's tells a story of how his teacher once encountered a Druid and demanded that he release a woman in his captivity. According to legend, ""an angel sent from heaven, striking him severely, has broken in pieces the glass cup which he held in his hand, and from which he was in the act of drinking, and he himself is left half dead. Then he consented to free the Irish girl, and Columba cured him of the wound."

Please enjoy the day we have set aside to honor this important figure in our history. And may the luck of the Irish follow you forever!

TGIF - Today is Constitution Day.

According to holidayinsights.com, "The Constitutional Congress held it's final meeting on September 17, 1787. Do you have any idea why? That's right! It was to sign the Constitution of the United States of America, a document for which they so painstakingly labored to create and perfect.

After the meeting there was still much to do. Individual states then had to meet and vote on it. The U.S. Constitution did not go into effect until two years later on March 4, 1789."

At the risk of being obvious, I note that none of the original signers of The Constitution were women. That would certainly NOT be the case if this document were in play today.

Moreover, despite the groundbreaking nature of the Constitution, women's involvement in the national political scene has been slow in coming. Here are a few factoids to consider:

Since 1789, only 2 percent of members of Congress have been women. But not until 1917 was a woman elected to the House of Representatives. In the Senate, from 1922-2006, only 33 women have served in the Senate: 20 Democrats and 13 Republicans.

The global average percentage of women in parliaments is 17 percent; in the 110th Congress, it is 16 percent. (cite)

Delaware, Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire & Vermont are the only states never to have a woman represent the state in either House of Congress.

• 1872. Victoria Woodhull ran for president of the United States on the Equal Rights Party ticket. She is most famous for her declaration and campaign to run as the first woman for the United States Presidency in 1872. Many of the reforms and ideals espoused by her for the common working class against the corrupt rich business elite were extremely controversial in her time though generations later many of those implemented are now taken for granted. Other ideas and reforms still remain controversial and debated today.
• 1917. The first woman elected to the U.S. House of representatives was Jeannette Rankin (R-MT). She served from 1917-1919 and from 1941-42. Sometimes called the "Lady of the House", Jeanette Rankin entered the House as the first woman in Congress.
• 1922. The first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate was Rebecca Latimer Felton (D-GA). She served for one day; she was appointed, not elected.
• Hattie Caraway became the first woman to win election to the Senate, in 1932.
• 1933. Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet; she was Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• 1964. Margaret Chase Smith (ME) became the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for president at a major party convention; Sen. George Aiken nominated her at the Republican national convention.
• 1968. Shirley Chisholm (NY) became the first black women to be elected to Congress.
• 1976. Barbara Jordan (TX) became the first black women to deliver a keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention.
• 1981. Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman on the Supreme Court.
• 1984. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro (D-NY) is the first woman on a major party's national ticket; she was selected by Walter F. Mondale as his Vice Presidential running mate.
• 2007. The first woman to lead the House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Throughout most of the Senate's history, it has been almost entirely male. Until 1920, few women ran for the Senate. Until the 1990s, very few were elected. This is due to many factors, including the lack of women's suffrage in many states until ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, women's limited access to higher education until the mid-1900s, public perceptions of gender roles, and barriers to women's advancement such as sex discrimination, which still play’s a factor in their limited numbers today.

No women served from 1922 to 1931, 1945 to 1947, and 1973 to 1978. Since 1978, there has always been at least one woman in the Senate.

I believe it is only a matter of time before women become a majority in politics. Maybe by then, some of the problems of our current system will be fixed.

Or as one of the greatest Women in our history stated:

"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race. "

Susan B. Anthony

TGIF - National Chocolate Mousse Day!

Those of you who share my passion for chocolate - rejoice and celebrate! Today is OUR day. There is perhaps nothing more comforting than a piece of fine chocolate. Despite many downsides, moderate consumption of chocolate has been shown in recent medical studies to aid digestion, lower blood pressure, and slow down the aging process. Chocolate may not bring order to our current economic condition, or promote world peace, but we should all stop what we are doing today, and pause to reflect on our social biography while enjoying any form of it.

On this day in 1860, the Pony Express was established. Women's role in this historically significant method of communication is largely a mystery. For a glimpse at what is known may be found in a book by Melba Rey-Jeal titled "Women and the Pony Express: A Modern Tale of Changing Tradition". My, what progress we have made in the area of rapid communication, and in women's rights and influence since the introduction of this chain of individuals that took an oath on the Bible of honesty and devotion to duty and went on, despite the daily threat of death, to carry the mail 616,000 miles--equal to 24 times around the earth--during the 18 months the enterprise operated. Sadly, it was the introduction of the telegraph - a precursor to today's Internet that led to it's demise.

And so it is with countless other institutions -including the breaking of "the Glass Ceiling". It is the so called "Innovators Dilemma" at work, which has been studied by HBS Prof. Clayton Christensen and others, seeking to determine how sudden shifts in technology or social conditions can bring about rapid change.

We are clearly in a period of rapid change. Some of it good, some bad. But one thing remains constant -women will continue to play an increasingly significant role. Take time today to reflect on YOUR role. And enjoy that chocolate!

Until next post, continue to believe, achieve, receive. SDG - JBHIV

National Women's History Month

Many of you may not be aware that March is National Women's History Month. This year's theme is Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet. In my Profiles in Women's Courage post this past wednesday, I chose to highlight President Obama's choice for Labor Sec'y - Hilda Solis. Of course, there are many other women throughout history that deserve to receive the JFK PIC award. If you get a chance this weekend, take time to point out to your daughter or son, that women have done more than their fair share to make the world a better, safer, greener place.

Let's remember these women and the ones in our own lives (mothers, sisters, etc.) that give us the courage to press on regardless.

Until next post, continue to achieve, believe, receive. SDG-JBHIV

St. Patrick and St. Elizabeth

Today is the day we traditionally celebrate the efforts of the "patron saint of the Irish" - St. Patrick. Let us not lose sight, however that 2009 marks the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the American Sisters of Charity by St. Elizabeth Seton in Emmitsburg, Md. This is a significant event both for the Sisters of Charity and for the American Catholic Church, since the Sisters of Charity were the first active congregation of women religious founded in the United States, as well as the largest community to serve our country and church during the entire antebellum period. She was also the first US-born woman to be canonized.

There are many ways Women of Wealth can serve our communities, our country, and our world. In last Saturday's post I mentioned two local women who saw a need, and created an organization to address it. As you celebrate your "inner Irish" today, think about what you can do to follow the example set by St. Elizabeth, and countless others in service to womenkind.

Perhaps the most compelling thought I'd like to leave you with today is one of outrage. Not the kind that is being unleashed at AIG because of recent bonus revelations, but rather, positive, meaningful, outrageous CHANGE. This is the message of St.Pat and St. Ann - be not afraid to think big - you may never know where your ideas and efforts may go!

Until next post, continue to believe, achieve, receive. SDG - JBHIV