Everyone our age has seen a lot of social change. I thought about this as I walked the grounds of the State Capital in Columbia, South Carolina today, especially after passing this bicentennial time capsule.
This was placed on the 200th anniversary of the founding of the city of Columbia in 1986. It will be opened in March of 2036.
I wonder what South Carolina will be like when that capsule is opened.
Later, my spouse and I took a tour of the State House. In the legislative chambers, the female tour guide turned to us after giving her pre scripted talk. Most of the tour group looked to be late elementary school age.
The tour guide mentioned that South Carolina's governor, Nikki Haley, now in her second term, was also South Carolina's first female governor. Yes, one female governor in all of South Carolina's distinguished history. I should add that this is the grand total of one more female governor than my native New York has ever had.
The tour guide went on to explain that not too many state senators or representatives have been women. The guide also mentioned she was the same age as Nikki Haley, 43.
Then, she looked at us.
Wouldn't it be great, she mused, if some of you, especially the girls, could grow up and serve in these chambers? She continued with words similar to these: "I would weep tears of joy if one of you came to me years later and told me you had been elected, and had been in one of my tour groups".
Could I have imagined being talked to like that when I was a little girl?
No. In my childhood, help wanted ads were divided into Male and Female. I guarantee you that "Governor" was not found in the Female section. Neither was Legislator.
I have seen incredible change in 62 years. I can hope for even more change in my lifetime.
Perhaps, one day, one of those children will make the tour guide weep tears of joy. And that child will
Alana,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't too many weeks ago when I realized just how much has changed in my lifetime. I'm 36, but the changes are immense when you actually think about them. I grew up watching the Jetsons. We haven't made it to that level of technology yet, like I thought we would, but I do wonder what the world my future grandchildren might grow up in will look like.
That's a startling reminder of how things have changed for women. It's amazing that more outcry isn't heard about the shocking sexual discrimination that is still prevalent today. In England, the Government elects a token number of females. Not for their worth, but because they have to.
ReplyDeleteI was just explaining how "bloomers" (early day ladies' pants) were introduced to the public, and what shock and dismay was the result, to my kiddos the other day. Seems too amazing how many changes there have been for women in the past couple of generations!
ReplyDeleteVery thought-provoking! I'm only about 5 years behind you (will be 57 tomorrow!) and I'm in a mood of reflecting on how different life is now than when I was growing up. It boggles my mind sometimes that young kids today have never even seen a "corded" phone or heard the sound of a modem connecting to the Internet!
ReplyDeleteThe changes in my 52 years have been amazing. I I always think of Louis C.K.'s, "Everything is amazing and Nobody is happy" skit. It's really true......as many amazing inventions, etc that we have in this world, it seems we always want more.
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