Well, that’s easy.
First, I wouldn’t be here physically had a woman or women not preceded me – in that I was born– and second, I wouldn’t be here where I am now intellectually had a woman or women not preceded me – in that I was educated – and third, I wouldn’t be here where I am now emotionally had a woman or women not preceded me – in that I was nurtured – and fourth, I wouldn’t be here where I am now flourishing had a woman or women not preceded me – in that I was encouraged, and fifth, I wouldn’t be here where I am now spiritually had a woman or women not preceded me – in that I was inspired – and seventh, I wouldn’t be here where I am now creating had a woman or women not preceded me – in that I was mentored – and eighth, I wouldn’t be here where I am now physically had a woman or women not held me in her arms when the entire world disintegrated and no one else was there to hold me together, piece by fragile, frightened, fragmented and forgotten piece. Fact is, without women, or rather, at any given time a very specific woman, I would never have existed in the first place, or be here now to reflect upon just how grateful I am, and lucky I have been.
I imagine that applies to many of us men, too. It’s a wonder then we still only pay them 75-85% of what we earn, commit acts of violence against as many as 1 in 3 of them worldwide, rape 85,000 to 1.3 million a year of them in just one country, mine, discriminate against them in terms of politics, religion, technology, household, relationships, society, property inheritance, athletics, and – depending on where you live – even the right to go out in public unguarded by a male relative.
