For My Daughter (International Women's Day)
(I wrote this poem two years ago and Facebook reminded me of its existence. I have decided to republish it without edits in honor of International Women's Day today). Today, I am a rabbi. Today, I am a working mother, a tax payer, an earner for my family. Today, I am a voter. Today, I get to determine the boundaries of my bo dy and plan my family. Today, I get to choose what to wear and what not to wear as per personal preference or on religious principle. That's because, Yesterday, Suffragettes laid down their lives to win us the vote. Yesterday, Jewish women campaigned for ordination. Yesterday, feminist activists fought objectification tooth and nail. Yesterday, working women joined unions to fight for our rights. Yesterday, we stood up for the right to choose who to marry, when to have a child (or not) and if we consent to physical intimacy. And yet, Tomorrow, I want to see a workplace of truly equal pay. Tomorrow, young girls should not feel pressured into bein...