Born To Speak Out

While on our weekly Green Tent Circle zoom meeting with women around the world, someone said something that triggered an old memory.
Barbara Thorngren mentioned the woman’s symbol and I had to giggle as this memory flashed through my mind.

We are a group of women creating a movement of action and I wanted to share my very first activist moment.
At age 14 I began high school in a village that was ruled by patriarchal protocols.
As a blooming artist I wanted to develop my art skills but there were no art classes at our school.
While the principal spoke to our classroom of newbies I asked if I could take drafting instead of home economics. Thinking to myself, I never really had an interest in cooking and I had already been trained to sew by my seamstress aunt.

The principal put me in my place saying drafting is for boys and home economics is for girls and we are not going to change the system to suit you.
I was dismayed until later that year when I had an opportunity to speak out, not only to the school but any one driving by the school.

It was winter carnival time when the students were invited to create snow sculptures all over the school property.
I came up with a plan.
Armed with red food colouring I created a giant pink birth control pill with the woman’s symbol protruding out the top of it.
I create my sculpture right on the front lawn of the high school looming in the principal’s office window. Remember this was the 60’s in a rural area and birth control was only discussed behind closed doors in private.

My rebellion did not change the system but it sure made ME feel good

Born to speak out ​

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