Page 32 - October 2020

Painting by
the author

When the men discovered that we were planning something, they grumbled about
our “Not knowing our place” and insisted we were “undermining society.” We
didn’t let their fear stop us; if anything, it inspired us. The idea of equity for women
had become a movement and I was leading the charge.
We came out of hiding and orchestrated rallies at the center of the box. Peaceful
protests, where we’d chant, “No more ceilings, no more stoop, firing women is a
load of poop!” Some men encouraged us; others snickered and told us to “Pipe
down.” The indignant ones said that our behavior was “unladylike.” The more stern
husbands told their wives to go home. It hurt to see some comply.
~
Soon I realized we’d come at our protests too soft. Not that this was our fault, soft
is what we were taught. It was as if women were brainwashed, even me. I realized it
when Lily was a teen; she told me she wanted to be a CEO when she grew up and

I’d laughed before saying, “I hope you make it.”
I was taught not to expect to rise to the top of the box. The idea of women thinking
outside of the box sounded like the rantings of an unemployable. No one knew
what was out there. We women were practiced at running households, the
secretarial pool, cooking in cafes, and various facets of business that helped men
relate, or sell products to women, nothing more.
People often told me that I was lucky to be as high up in the corporation as I was.
For years no one knew I despised hitting my head on the box’s ceiling everyday;
the knots, bruises, and humiliation were as familiar as morning coffee, but, I
suppose it looked lucky to those that had even less room to move than I did.
Eventually, I’d hit my head enough to wake my inner radical. She got me thinking
there might be something beyond the box.
At times, both sexes advocated against women in the workplace, but eventually all
conceded that the insights of women were necessary for corporations to maximize

revenue. Necessity was our gateway. It sizzled and burned in us until it ignited our
will to do the unimaginable.
Of course, years went by without any real progress or action. I was resolute in my
vision even if nothing appeared to be happening around me. Nothing discouraged
me, until Lily entered the workforce and I had to face the fact that her prospects
and paychecks weren’t going to be better than mine. Escalation was necessary.
What did we have to lose?
~