What is your first name, occupation, and role (or roles) you most identify with?
Lucy, apparel designer, mom and gardener.

What is the most positive thing about being a woman now?
Seeing the potential for our massive collective power. I truly believe that we cannot be undone as a race of women if we make women-specific issues and needs a priority in our lives.

What is the hardest thing about being a woman now?
The sustained vigilance needed to fight the good fight. If I’m not fighting for myself then I’m fighting for my sisters, friends and those I’ve never met. It doesn’t end. And it shouldn’t until our equality is finally, unquestionable and undeniable.

When did you first notice that society treated men and women (or boys and girls) differently?
So, I grew up with mostly women in my life and they did everything. They were single moms who worked hard and were the caregivers. They did it all and helped each other. I honestly didn’t notice the discrepancy between men and women until after I had my own child. Neither me or my husband worked for the first couple of years of our child’s life. Whenever my husband was taking care of my son or doing “domesticated” chores around the house I cannot tell you how many people, women especially, would say how lucky I was and what an amazing father he was. He was complimented endlessly. My husband is an amazing father and caregiver but I don’t recall anyone ever telling him how lucky he was even though I was doing the exact same thing as a parent, and breastfeeding. It became so apparent to me that we as women had come to expect so little because society had conditioned us into this way of believing. Many of the moms I know have long since returned to work. They are providers and continue to be the primary caregiver and household manager. They do it all just like the women who raised me. Yet, in their workplace they are expected to be as committed and available as the men in the workplace who have not taken on the role of primary caregiver and household manager. And of course with less pay. I honestly did not have any insight into this perspective until I talked with my mom friends who work. Wild!

How do you maintain your resiliency in these times?
Reminding myself I have been through harder times, with less resources, less experience and less support.

Why do you think past movements haven't moved the needle for women?
I think past movements have moved the needle and got us to the place we are at now, legally and mentally.

Do you think the current movement will be the one to change things for future generations?
I think we are still quite deep in the trenches with this newer movement. I believe that this movement was born out of the clash that happened when women entered the workforce en masse in the 60’s and 70’s. Our mothers and aunties entered that workforce without enough protection. They continued to be kept “in their place” through unequal pay and intimidation. At least they were now in the building and with their newfound financial independence, as unequal as it was, they changed the world for us. But we also inherited that battle our mothers and aunties had continued to work through. I believe that our current movement, in part, was born out of the peeling back of that curtain and seeing that battle. There is no going back. We cannot un-learn what we now know. But until we have an a proportionate amount of women in government making laws that continue to solidify our equality in this country, I fear this movement will stagnate.

What needs to happen for us to move forward?
I think many of us are now seeing that we don’t need to prove that we are deserving of our rights or that we need to earn our rights in the eyes of those who have put us underfoot. In this country, today at least, little girls just like little boys are supposed to be been born with these rights. They simply have been taken from us. The solution is simple. More women making laws for women’s issues.

What can women do to make it better for other women?
Fight and Vote. Fight and Vote for the women who don’t look like you. Fight and Vote for the women who don’t live like you do. Fight and Vote for each other as if you were fighting and voting for your mom or your aunt, or your daughter or your cousin.

What can men do to make it better for women?
The same thing women do to make it better for women.