Lowering Herself to His Level

The exchange today between Sen. Barbara Boxer and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made me sick to my stomach.

I think of all those brave women who fought for our right to vote, and later, for our right to be considered equal in hiring, education, sports scholarships, etc. The ones who have passed must be turning over in their graves.

Regarding sending more military to Iraq, Boxer asked Rice, "Who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young." She should have stopped right there.

But nooooooo. Showing the same sort of lack of courtesy common when all our politicians were middle-aged white heterosexual men, Boxer continued.

"You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with immediate family."

Ignoring the thinly veiled gay-bating therein, Boxer was way out of line on this one.

Between Boxer's slam and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's constant parade of grandchildren, it seems all the women's movement has done is continue to drive a wedge between women with children and those without. It's much more about this than about marital status.

The second scary part of the supposed progress our foremothers marched for is found in the NCAA. I was born just a few years too early to benefit from Title IX. I'm convinced that my high school in PA would still not have opportunities for girls in sports if it were not for Title IX.

In the late 1070s when the NCAA was trying to take college sports away from the AIAW, many coaches of women's sports expressed concerns. Yes, the increased money for uniforms, travel, etc., would be nice. Yes, the increased visibility would be nice. But many wondered if being part of the NCAA would corrupt women's collegiate sports.

While corrupt may be too harsh, there is no doubt that in the past 15 years there have been far too many instances of female athletes acting like "some of the boys." Players have taken money under the table, educational institutions have lost scholarships for shady behavior.

I don't know how we can be the fairer sex when we cannot even be fair to one another.