Well today is easter Monday; but it is also Anzac Day. A time to remember the bravery of our service men and women who put it all on the line in conflicts all over the world so that we might live in peace today. And for a lot of those men and women.. they paid the ultimate sacrifice. These people literally died to preserve our way of life. A life in this country where we all have our freedom of political ideology, our freedom of religion and the opportunity to work hard and enjoy success. We must never lose this! And sometimes the enemies of our lifestyle live amongst us. I refer here to people who seek a better way of life for their families by coming to Australia and then fanatically opposing our egalitarian society. Last night I watched the ABC telemovie about Ita Buttrose and the Cleo story. As Mark said while watching it with me.. "Women have come a long way in the past 40 years.. it's great to have been here to see the change."
Of course not all women are fortunate enough to have an equal relationship with their husbands. I am sure that like me as you go through life you see men who treat their wives as subordinates. These men control "their women" to within an inch of their lives.
Fortunately most men in Australia these days see their wives and women workmates as equals... I know that is how Mark and I get on. It is a refreshing change to my mother's generation where married women had to resign from Government jobs such as teaching etc. Sadly in a lot of countries this is not so. Women are seen as possessions. They are not even allowed to drive a car! Talk about living in the middle ages.
The iron fist in the velvet glove of feminism must continue to bring pressure on these cultures until these women too see that they have the potential to be whoever they wish to be.
Congratulations Ita and Cleo. You have certainly played a big part in the many changes for the better in the lives that Australian women lead today!
