Divide and Conquer
Women’s rights has always been a hotly contested arena. As early as the late 1800s Theodore Roosevelt noted in his Harvard thesis that women should not face discrimination, yet that discrimination has continued to the present time. “Protection” of the “weaker sex” has often been cited as the reason for discriminatory laws and practices. In 1974 in San Francisco, I was turned down for several mechanics jobs for which I was otherwise qualified. When I demanded a reason from the owners of these shops, this is the reason several of them gave: men would be so angry that a woman “invaded” their working space that they might attack me, so it was for my own “protection” that I was not hired.
Even in the areas of sexual assault/rape that discrimination can clearly be seen—women are assaulted then blamed for being assaulted. Of course, that blame is couched in “protection” language—things like if she hadn’t been drunk, she would not have been assaulted—as if sobriety has even been true protection against rape.
I recently read a historic novel by Alex Westmore, Shiver Her Timbers (http://www.amazon.com/Shiver-Her-Timbers-Plundered-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B019453TOA). While historic novels—even about pirates—are usually not my reading genre, Westmore is an excellent writer who brings the era to life. One thing that I noted in the novel was the parallels between how Queen Elizabeth used clan in-fighting to create so much chaos that the Irish had fewer resources with which to fight England’s plans of invasion.
The same can be said for women in current history. The mainstream culture uses whatever differences they can find to drive a wedge between women, to decrease their solidarity in demanding their rights.
Yes, lesbians and transgender women do face discrimination not experienced by heterosexual women.
However, it is clear that ALL women face discrimination and violence. Religion seeks to deepen the divide between women. Preachers exhort their female constituents to discriminate against lesbian and transgender women in service, employment, housing, and even bathrooms/locker rooms. (Hmmm, does this sound suspiciously familiar? Anyone recall that previously preachers—and some of them still do it—preached that God had designated the black race to a subservient position to the white race? It wasn’t that long ago that bathrooms/locker rooms were designated White and Negro.) The lawmakers on state level do their part by passing discriminatory laws aimed at the LGBTQ communities and their access to employment, adoption rights, housing, and services, some as basic as being able to sit down at a lunch counter and eat lunch. (Does this sound familiar, anyone?)
While we argue about who got hurt the worst, the patriarchy sits back and cheers us on. As long as we fight against each other, we cannot create the united front needed to overcome and defeat discriminatory laws. Isn’t it time that women band together to force the issue of our basic human rights? The right to live, laugh, love, work, and to be free from violence.
I am proud to say that I am a feminist as well as a lesbian. I fight to gain recognition for ALL women– lesbian, transgender, and heterosexual.
Where do you stand?

All of my work features women working together to overcome great odds. Visit my Amazon page for great stories that feature strong women who make a difference! http://www.amazon.com/Aya-Walksfar/e/B00CMVAKKK