Somewhere in our various educations, most of us have come across Aristophane’s play Lysistrata. In the midst of a war between Athens and Sparta; an Athenian woman named Lysistrata calls women from throughout Greece together, to present her plan for ending the hostilities. The women agree to dress provocatively and act seductively towards their husbands and boyfriends, but then withhold sex until the men swear to end the war. It evidently worked.
Lysistrata appears to be the very first Women’s Strike.
Tomorrow, June 24th, Hoosier women are planning to join with other American women in a more modern-day version. As the strike website describes the effort:
Women4Change and women in Indiana are going on strike, June 24th, 2024 with thousands of our sisters across the United States.
Why are we going on strike?
In acknowledgement of the 2nd anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we are removing ourselves for 1 day en masse.
What is a strike?
No spending. No work. No school.
(Evidently, the “no sex” aspect pioneered by Lysistrata is up to the individual woman…)
Hoosiers for Democracy has elaborated on the motivation for this one-day expression of resistance.
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court reversed a fifty-year constitutional right to reproductive health and safe access to abortion. The country has ample evidence that Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Clarence Thomas are under the influence of White Christian Nationalists and ‘dark money’ contributions. We have a tape recording of Justice Samuel Alito saying that he will fight to return this country to a state of Godliness; so we can assume that the upside flag that flew outside his house on the day of the attack on the Capital and the white nationalist pine tree flag that has been seen waving at his summer home were not by mistake. Justice Clarence Thomas has received a little over 4 million dollars in gifts from Republican mega donor Harlan Crow. We also know that the three justices appointed by Donald Trump lied when they stood before their Senate Confirmation Hearing and testified that they believed Roe V. Wade was ‘settled law’. The Supreme Court has only begun reversing personal freedoms. The right to contraception, the right to gay marriage, protection of voting rights and an attack on the LGBTQ+ community are in the ‘wings’ of what is coming next.
It was actually much simpler for women back in olden-times Greece–women didn’t hold jobs or attend school. (I’m not sure whether they even had the right to spend money in that patriarchal society.) Withholding sex was pretty much the only “strike” available. Today’s women, having gone from being property to something approaching partnership (hence the title of the book I wrote with Morton Marcus and that I continue to promote here), undoubtedly find themselves in a more complicated situation when it comes to withdrawing from their obligations, even for one day.
But as Hoosiers for Democracy remind us, Indiana women face a particularly ferocious attack.
- The Republican candidate for Governor, Mike Braun, supports Indiana’s six-week abortion ban and is an ardent Trump supporter. He ‘goes along’ with whatever Trump says. His running mate for Lieutenant Governor, Micah Beckwith, is a self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist, and was the person spearheading the Hamilton County Library Board’s decision to remove John Green’s book, The Fault in Our Stars, from the Young Adult section of the Fishers library. Beckwith says that the January 6th attack on the Capital was ‘divinely inspired’.
- The Women’s Strike is an important action for Hoosier women and their allies. The 2022 Dobbs decision to deny women their constitutional right to an abortion is a decision that several of our state candidates support. Mike Braun, the Republican candidate for Governor, Micah Beckwith, the candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Jim Banks, the Republican candidate for Senate, and Victoria Spartz, the Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional District will work to further those restrictions. We must let them know that we will not go back. We can make a statement on June 24, 2024 and again on November 5, 2024.
At the very least, we women can withhold our dollars tomorrow. Absent some important obligation at the office that cannot be rescheduled, or an exam that a teacher will not allow a student to take at a different time, a one-day absence from the office or classroom shouldn’t work a hardship–but should send a message.
And while we’re sending that message, we need to demonstrate support for Jennifer McCormick’s campaign for Governor and Valerie McCrae’s Campaign for Senate. Send them money–no amount is too small to function as evidence that you support sanity and sense over theocracy and misogyny.
I hope that the strikers will not vote for ANY REPUBLICAN for ANY OFFICE. That would be the most powerful message. But this is Indiana so….
Good luck to the women of Indiana. I hope you get more than a day off for your efforts. I would send money to your candidates, but I’m giving to defeat our local Florida “Nat Cs”. We need to get Rick Scott out, before he gets power.
Unfortunately, this is the first I’ve heard of this. Maybe it’s better advertised in the Indianapolis area than out here is the far flung reaches of the state. We have heard precious little from our Democratic candidates as well. I am more tuned in than the average voter, but I would be hard pressed to name all the major Democratic candidates, much less their positions on major issues. Dems cannot expect to win if they’re only running in the central core of the state.
Remember the huge women’s demonstration shortly after Trump won. Didn’t do much good, did it? Maybe it is time for a huge demonstration across the country again to show support for Joe Biden and not Trump. Lay it out there now – not after the election. Show voting power in the streets now. In Indiana the one thing that militates against getting a Democrat in power is the “check one box for all” on the ballot. Once a Republican; always a Republican – people will check that box and not think. Dems probably do it, too, but in Indiana that box ensures a one party legislature. I’d like to see that box removed from a ballot so people have to THINK about the candidates.
Join Us at the Allen County Courthouse from 2-6pm for an information and educational event – learn what your options and opportunities are for your Reproductive Rights as collaborative organizations will be there. If you aren’t able to attend – Don’t Work or go to School, wear RED if you must work, do not spend a penny (pack your own lunch!) This event is sponsored by the Northeast Indiana Chapter of NOW (National Organization for Women)
I believe the women in Lysistrata also took over the treasury. Grag’em where they really hurt!
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
Democracy holds the seeds of its destruction.
When some person or party finds the propaganda means to accumulate power in a democracy, what’s to hold them back? Democracies, like power, are corruptible and ill-equipped to hold back the cause of its destruction.
We are a moral institution that depends on a moral society to function. When the simple moral tenet of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” no longer guides us, we revert to the idea that whoever holds the gold holds the power and vice versa.
We saw communism crumble under the weight of extremism, and now we are seeing democracy also commit suicide.
That and $6 will get you a latte. Virtue postering is popular but gets little results. Enjoy the mini-vacation day.
My woman friends and I will be drinking our coffee from our “Trump” mugs while you and yours will be drinking poison and hoping someone else dies from it.
Have a great day!
Kieran O’, help https://hoosiersfordemocracy.substack.com/ grow the movement in Allen County. Subscribe and send the link to your members and ask them to connect with their networks. We are trying to build allies across the six most populous counties to encourage folks to resist extremism at the ballot box—-especially Republican women and voters who are in despair and are at risk of sitting out this election. Thank you Sheila!
For the few of you ladies who haven’t heard of the protest, you can blame your local newspapers. I received the press release last week and shared it on social media. The release went out to all Indiana press contacts, so the papers had it; they just chose not to print it. #shocking
I don’t see women taking off work for this protest since many who would vote Democratic are single moms and have to work to provide for their families. Women who vote for Republicans are delusional at best. When a political party is fighting against your best interests, they should NOT be supported. No exceptions.
SCOTUS is going to see a lot of cases that want to see the US as a theocracy supported by Christian Nationalists. Separation of church and state, censorship, abortion, etc., will all get plenty of air time this year. If Trump wins in November, SCOTUS will get flooded with cases over the next four years. Will US citizens sit on their thumbs and hope and pray things will change, or will they get off the lazy chairs and hit the streets with the students?
My, my, Gail, are you for real? Are you hoping the orange thing will grab you? Because if he does, the next thing he will do is toss you aside!
rock on tomorrow, and on Nov.5th!
In Indiana what I would call a “binary reality” exists – where Most Democratic politicians (at least) are “good” and clearly virtually all the Republican politicians are horrific. I remember the 1960’s Indiana of my teenage years – where the Democratic politicians of the South ruled – reactionary – openly racist, and where the Democratic politicians of the Northeast – were a mixture of corrupt/ conservative Democrats – and some progressives – often Jewish or Black/Latino/a. Republicans then were a mixture – in the NE often “liberal”. Today – I see Democratic politicians split between relatively few, often BIPOC – who are progressive and far, far more – whose identities to me are: “Not as Bad as the Republicans”. The Bar is very low in this country – when we fail to confront the basic Oppressiveness of: “Big Money” and “Big Power”. I agree completely in having both a “radical vision” and facing the realities of needing flexibility – in having cooperation with “liberals” and the necessity of compromise. Where and how we – “draw lines in the sand” vs. “facing reality” – is challenging! I won’t vote for Joe Biden – “Genocide Joe” – in my mind – related to Gaza (I’m Jewish). Biden also – to me – is a “Weak Democrat” – in that he stands up weakly to the Big Money interests and similar – as well as being Very Reactive, rarely Proactive.. I wish there were more “Strong Democrats” and that they didn’t nearly always need to be: “Leftists” (would have been moderately liberal 30-40 years ago). My partner – Black, Female, Queer Identified (also Jewish) – talks of a necessity of being a “centrist”. I wish I could see a “Centrism” – that gave me some hope! We have a two party system – in part because we continue to insist – on being with the “not as bad Democrats” . I hope, against gloom and doom, that we will develop Positive Options – in the coming months and years! I will support a Younger Democrat – instead of Biden – who may be “more Conservative” than he is – IF I see a willingness and capacity to have a deeper vision than Biden has. His age – hasn’t helped him – given that he never was a great politician. Trump’s dementia and narcissism – aren’t enough for me. In Indiana you have some excellent Democratic Politicians! I don’t see as many here in California, though we do have Barbara Lee and a few others I like. Sorry!
Gail,
It’s nice to see an intellectually constipated ideologue with some rock solid albeit willfully deluded fanatical fantasy, supporting a misogynistic convicted grifting felonious narcissist, who claims to be the son of God! The immorality of the man is legendary, and I’ve heard people claim that King David was just as bad. And, although, he engaged in some heinous conduct, he begged for forgiveness and constantly explained how wrong he was to the masses. So, I haven’t heard your mighty narcissistic prophet explain any of his immoral shortcomings much less displaying any sort of contrite mindset or providing any sort of epiphany of change. You can take the pig out of the sty, but you can’t take the sty out of the pig. That’s just natural truth. And those that worship at the sty, end up becoming part of that filth. I guess those acolytes wishing to become part of the pig and his sty, will reap what they’ve sown.
Gail, I am pretty sure that tomorrow you will be drinking Kool-aid from those Trump mugs and not coffee.
Lester & Todd: You are exactly right on!
Pete, nice summation of the human condition. Our brains remain wired to only be able to manage ourselves in small, tribal groups. That said, as humanity continues to debase itself, your grandchildren (or maybe you and me) will see how humans will be the first and only known species to purposefully make itself extinct. We invented the means to do so, so …
And, ladies, it will take much longer than just one day of striking to get the attention of those “men” – and creatures like Gail – who have/are creating such a terrible situation of corruption, hypocrisy, lies and hate. Stay tuned.
Vernon, humans are ill-equipped to monopolize the earth but also to adopt anything that reminds us of who we are.
We have met the enemy and he is us.
Thank you, Sheila! I wasn’t aware of this day but have now made a plan to participate. And the only money I will spend tomorrow is a big donation to Planned Parenthood.
You are using too many big words for gail
In light of the current climate crisis happening before our very eyes, it might not make a lot of difference in the long run who is in charge. Mother Nature is a very fair parent to all of her children and she allows them to reap the rewards of their own folly. Both Democrats and Republicans, Democracies and Autocracies and theocracies, secular societies and all other groups are going to suffer the consequences of climate change. Heat kills more people than any other weather-related events. More intense mega-storms will not look at pollical maps when they form. Super wild fires burn down billionaire homes as well as shacks.
But as Gail notes, the MAGA crowd will be drinking while the rest of Rome burns. Enjoy your latte.
Here’s 3 women who won’t be doing ANYTHING tomorrow, including Laken Riley, because they are DEAD – due to Biden’s immigration policies. He rolled back every Trump immigration policy and opened the flood gates to EVERYONE!!!
This is a top issue for MANY woman….
So while you may think I’m drinking the “kool-aid”, your poison KILLS !!!!
Oh, but you’re all about killing and dismembering- abortion, gender mutilation
and you call out Christian Nationalists as
“scary”?
Yes, I’m a Christian and I love America, as do many others but that does not make them a “Christian Nationalist “.
Who you actually despise is God – even though you don’t believe in Him.
You should be VERY afraid, but it’s not Trump or the Christians you should fear.
June 21, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security issued the following release after multiple reports that 12-year-old Houston-area resident Jocelyn Nungaray was murdered by two Venezuelan nationals who had recently entered the United States illegally and were released into the interior—one of them barely three weeks ago. One reportedly even made a claim of credible fear of being returned to Venezuela. These horrific reports come the same week that Americans learned that the rape and murder last year of Rachel Morin, a mother of five in Maryland, came at the hands of a Salvadoran national, and just days after a 13-year-old girl in New York City was sexually assaulted by an Ecuadorian national here illegally—and who confessed to filming his heinous assault.
https://homeland.house.gov/2024/06/21/house-homeland-analysis-4-hard-truths-for-the-biden-administration-about-jocelyn-nungarays-murder-recent-illegal-alien-crime-and-americas-open-borders/
Hey Gail —
I don’t know how you made your way here, but by and large we are pro reproductive choice, pro separation of church and state and pro social justice.
Yes, murder of women by ANYONE is disgusting and tragic and research indicates that immigrants commit less crimes than U.S.-born people. So, decry all murders of actual living women and girls, especially women who die as a result of not receiving life-saving OB care thanks to the bans of reproductive choice in the US. You are without supporters here. 🙁
Each woman on strike should go door knocking all day and talk to anyone who is not registered and/or considering voting for a 3rd party candidate and/or considering not voting at all. There is a LOT MORE on the ballot in addition to reproductive rights. Take cold latte with you – it’s hot out there.
I appreciate Sheila’s book from “Property to Partnership” spelling out the history and trajectory of women’s work toward equality. I’ve passed her book on to my daughter who has made more progress than I was able to do. My mother her first job as nurse was in WWll, was a strong good person but having 6 sons and 3 daughters seemed to uphold sexism/patriarchy for the boys. My education was compromised to help the family. How I saw things was secondary in that system and caused major problems for me when I was young. When under 21 I left home, and my sad protest/ searching was proportional to the oppression that was imposed on me. Having been electrocuted as a child I have a tendency to be hyper, and when mixed with pot and the trends of the time I lived free for a while. Sorta manic. But I’ve worked hard, and I don’t want other women to have to go through a hell like that and be blamed. It’s important for women to be able to make responsible decisions to make their lives better for themselves and others.
I’m glad in democracy that were allowed to speak up and complain; we learned not to contradict in the authoritarian, patriarchal society that caused mental and emotional problems. Anyway, glad for a chance to speak up and work toward better lives for our daughters and granddaughters.
This is embarrassing. I stand 180 degrees polically from Gail…Of course, the usual DNC chorus girls had resort to Junior Highschool adhominems. We are so doomed. Moreover,there are those that have proven beyond a reasonable doubt their flaunting of religiosity is just a thin facade to mask their misogyny. Misogyny and religiosity work in tandem with one another. They are not mutually exclusive– much to the chagrin of a J Sorge.
Well played,Gail.
Sometimes it is best stay quiet and be thought of as an idiot, than to open one’s mouth only to remove all doubt.
Gail! Darling! Look at the level of vitriol your comments contain!
But I must commend you for even reading this blog and commenting. Although it seems your mind is made up, there seems to be a possibility that you’re actually thinking. Oh, regarding your link, has it been fact checked?
Well Gail, off to room 101 with you, not the one from the British TV series, but the one from the book 1984. You and all of your Trumpty Dumpty buddies make the same transparent mistake of logic, that of generalizing from a few isolated events. You start out by believing whatever fallacies you want to believe and then search everywhere to find an incident or two that you claim supports it, yet the numbers do not. I won’t bother to say anymore about the specifics, because you’re not listening anyway. That is clearly obvious. And even if you were listening, based on what you’ve written, one has to coclude that you lack the mental capacity to understand the valid truths that are out there waiting to stare you in the face, if only you would open your eyes and pay attention. Every rule has exceptions, but you can’t use the exceptions to disprove rule. It’s illogical, and it is extremely transparent to intelligent people. Nevertheless, it is a technique that has been used by fascist throughout history to scare people into following them, including the fascists that have taken over the Republican party. Hitler used it to get people to fear and hate Jews. Trump uses it to get people to fear immigrants, the substantial majority of which make this economy work as well as it does.
Oh My, it may not be kind, or showing caring for fellow humans to go on attack.
I feel very strong compassion for Gail, if Gail is even a woman and not an AI, as she seems to support a belief system which does not sound or seem very Christian, or any other religious belief system.
Her support of a group who desires to limit our human freedoms and civil rights which have been long fought for makes me very sad for her.
Attacking attackers with their brand of negative words and actions will not bring peace in our world.
Not a good idea to evoke anger and retaliation in ones self, creates war in self and others.
Hey Guys, you Too CAN Wear RED tomorrow. Take a Stand.
Barb –
AMEN, SISTER!
Hey Ian, you speaking from entries in your diary? You actually had a clue to anything, it would be a miracle!
Well ,John…If I have offended you….
You’ll just have to forgive me.