In 1848, a group of people came together in Seneca Falls, NY and wrote the Declaration of Sentiments. First on the list was the right to vote.

Four years later, in 1852, Susan B. Anthony proclaimed the right to vote as “the right women needed above every other.”

In 1875, a unanimous Supreme Court refused to extend the privileges and immunities clause or the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to include the right to vote to women in Minor v. Heppersett.

Three years later an amendment to the Constitution was introduced stating:

Section 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Section 2: Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

It would be another 41 years before Congress would pass the amendment. In May of 1919, 2/3 of Congress voted in favor of the proposed amendment, thus starting the process of getting 36 states to elect to ratify it.

By July 1920, 35 states had voted for ratification and it came down to Tennessee. With so many Southern states dead set against ratification it seemed that the proposed amendment would lose by one vote in the Tennessee state house.

Then on August 18, 1920, the day of the vote, 24 year old Harry Burns received a telegram from his mother asking that he “be a good boy” and “vote for suffrage.” Mr. Burns changed his vote and the Susan B. Anthony Amendment was ratified.

This is the story we are told time and time again. It’s a good one, don’t get me wrong. But in effect this story continues to reinforce the paradigm–a man was needed to “give” something to women.

If history has taught us anything, it is that nothing worth having is never given. Women took the right to vote. One of our most intelligent and educated presidents, Woodrow Wilson, was also one of the most ardent opponents to the movement. Constant vigils were kept at the White House during his presidency.

All day and night, rain or shine these women stood in protest. When they were forcibly removed, a new group would immediately take their place. This militant strategy was formulated by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns after they returned home from Britain where they had participated in the battle for suffrage. They were later jailed, along with many other women, where they staged hunger strikes in protest of their illegal incarceration.

There are many problems with these early equality movements–including racism and classism–and it is critical that we acknowledge them, but this is victory was almost 70 years in the making.

Laura usually tells me to mock one up or think it through before starting something like this.  She’s probably right, but I just get so eager to make it, that it just ends up being a frustrating exercise. Either the practice model is great, but made out of crappy materials so it’s unusable, or it’s all-around crappy and I get frustrated and never come back to it.  What can I say, I get frustrated with crafting.  Last night after Amelia went to bed I started digging through Laura’s box of fabric and found some nice thick winter pants type material.  It may be wool, honestly.  I hope not, but it’s better that it’s recycled than thrown away.

The piece I found was perfect. It had enough for 2 large pieces (front and back) and a smaller piece for the pockets.  I used a scrap to make the strap to hold the thing together.  Laura ironed some of it while I sewed everything together.  It took an hour, 2 tops.

Before I had access to, or knew how to use a sewing machine my default position was to buy new stuff.  It never dawned on me to make something new or repair something torn.  Instead of spending 2 hours immersed in my Google Reader or bouncing around Facebook, I made a perfectly usable item that I could’ve easily bought down the street.  Today, inspired by my successful sewing venture, I made Laura a bag for her yoga mat.  It fits perfectly and has an adjustable strap.  I’m no where near ready to tackle something like Eli over at Lemolo Bags, but it feels good to use what you’ve got and reduce, reuse, and recycle. That said, if you’re in the market for a new durable, handcrafted backpack click over to Lemolo Bags. I’ve got one that is completely waterproof, and has served Laura and I well for 3 years.

bike tool roll carry-all bike tools rolled up bike tool kit

(I should take the opportunity to point out that on my road bike I have a saddle bag with tools that always stay with it.  It’s got enough for me to mend my bike just enough to get home or to a bus.  Anytime I’m in the city or with Laura and Amelia, I carry a bag with a larger tool kit just in case I actually need to fix something.  This is why this sort of thing is necessary.)

Abbott on the Podium

Last Sunday was a quiet day for sports in most US homes.  Some people were watching golf or World Cup.  Maybe even a few were watching the Tour de France.  It was tough watching Lance go down and get back up, only to finish the day too far behind to catch up.  While all that happened, something amazing was happening.

On Sunday, Mara Abbott became the first US cyclist to win the Giro Donne, the womens’ Giro d’Italia.  Not only did she win, the 25-year-old won by more than 2 minutes.  Sadly, I haven’t seen any video and only a few pictures from the podium–none from the race itself.

We live in amazing times, technologically speaking.  I can sit in bed and watch international sports live on my computer.  But I can’t find pictures from one of the largest, most prestigious races in the world.

Mara Abbott isn’t a hero because she won this race.  Mara Abbott’s a hero because she climbs mountains better than I can climb hills.  (And I love hills.)  From the USA Cycling website:

Abbott attacked about 28 kilometers into the stage, and only [Cervelo's Emma] Pooley was able to stay on her wheel. By the 50K mark Abbott and Pooley shared a lead of 1:05 over the peloton. Eventually, the gap grew large enough that Abbott became the virtual leader on the course. Pooley began to fade before the second of three summits, the Passo Bernina, leaving Abbott to ride on her own through the finish line.

In Saturday’s penultimate stage, Abbott again went off the front with Pooley amidst the mythical Stevlio climb, but in the final kilometers Abbott attacked and again rode solo to the stage win.

That would’ve been a sight to see my friends, a sight to see.

Photo from VeloNews.com website. © Ambrogio Rizzi

Every year I get a text message from her that reads, “Cancer free since ’03.”

It took a while for her to acknowledge she’d had cancer.  The sudden diagnosis and quick removal didn’t give her a lot of time to dwell on the gravity of the situation.  One day she had cancer and the next she was recovering from surgery and it was gone.  Similarly, she doesn’t see herself as a cancer survivor; she shuns the idea that she had anything at all to do with her recovery.

I like thinking of her as a cancer survivor.  Or like Lance likes to call them, warriors.  I feel like I wasn’t around to support her when it was hard, so I try to support others in her name.

When I read that Team Radio Shack were each riding for someone affected by cancer I wanted to get in on it.  I ordered a few stickers for my bike to show my support for my mom, the cancer survivor, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  It’s a small gesture, but it’s something.  And I’d like to ride the LIVESTRONG Challenge in Seattle next year.  Anyone interested in joining my team?  We’ll do the 100 mile ride.