THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509130012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
As I read the recent article about the 75 years of women's right to vote, I thought of just how far we have come and, yet, just how far we have to go.
Your article stated that ``many felt women didn't need to vote - their husbands, fathers and brothers represented them.'' How many people realize that many churches in America still do not allow women to vote?
The article talks about women working and the fear that the Equal Rights Amendment would ``abolish the right of a wife to be supported by a husband.'' How many people realize that many churches and men in America still believe that a woman's place is in the home, barefoot and pregnant, and that a man is justified to leave his wife if she cannot accept her ``role'' as a woman?
The article states that without the vote ``divorce might still condemn most women and children to poverty.'' Divorce still condemns many women and children to poverty. If you take a look around you, you'll see that most of the women on welfare are single parents.
I exercise my right to vote during every election. I now belong to a church that allows me to vote, and I am a single parent struggling to make ends meet. For that I am thankful that our foremothers had the courage to fight, as without them I would not have those choices. However, we still have a long fight to be respected as equals in a still male-dominated world.
DENISE HAEGELE
Virginia Beach, Aug. 26, 1995 by CNB