Women’s voices are too often muted or silenced on issue of policy and action. Even in the United States of America, women are still not heard nor represented proportionately to their percentage of the population at large. I believe my daughter deserves and must have every opportunity that my son has, yet those rights, including the right of equal pay, are still ones we fight and struggle for, even in the United States of America.
In honor of International Women’s History Month, below are a few of our musing and thoughts:
“Tell the truth, actions speak louder then words, and don’t be afraid;” our mantra at ClimateMama and lessons we teach our children. We strive to empower parents to take positive and concrete actions on the climate crisis. In celebration of women’s history month, it’s an opportune time to call on women around the world, who have achieved emancipation, to ensure that each of us fully exercise our hard fought for right to vote. We must exercise our collective power and use our votes for and about the climate crisis.
In the United States of America, in 1920, after more than 70 years of struggle, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. It’s time once again for us to stand up, speak out, and demand action on what is clearly the defining issue and greatest challenge we will ever face, climate change. Addressing climate change must be central to all we say and do. Over 100 US congressmen and women are currently on record as raising doubt or outright denying the reality of human caused climate change. It’s time we took back control and utilized fully the democratic process we helped shape to extinguish this lethal threat to our children’s future and now. Together we can vote out all climate deniers from elected offices and create climate hope.
As American women raising our families in a technologically fast paced and over programmed world, necessity requires us to “cut to the chase,” to deal in and with reality, and to take bold actions. Throughout our nation’s history, US women, as a matter of course, have tended to focus on the end goal, and not the infamy of the moment, rarely drawing attention to ourselves. We are often the powers behind the throne, the team builders, the problem solvers, the confidants, and the eternal fountains of strength. In our fledgling, yet blossoming US climate movement, women haven’t yet properly carved out our rightful and central place. But this is changing quickly. Women see and feel the climate crisis directly, and we are speaking up and acting out. Our children are watching us. Their health, their future and their now are at stake and weigh heavily on our hearts and minds.
We in the US must lead, and it’s time that we take leadership roles and use our collective power and our actions to demand that the truth be told. The urgency of the crisis is upon us and we know there is no time to waste and no time to be afraid. Our strength and hope is fortified by our fierce desire to protect our children and ensure that we leave them a livable and sustainable world.
Yours,
Climate Mama
P.S. we are thrilled to be quoted in a recent EPA blog post with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on International Women’s Month and our struggle agains climate change. That post featured strong mothers speaking out on climate change, including Dominique Browning of Moms Clean Air Force, Lisa Hoyos of Climate Parents, Kuae Mattox of Mocha Moms.
