It's Time to Make "Herstory", INTRODUCING: THE SADIE PROJECT

"SADIE"-©SJaye2015

    The photos above are of Sadie, the inspiration for my blog.  My maternal grandmother.  She died in 1983.  Had she lived, she would have been 112 today.  She loved life, and once said to me that considering during her life time, we went from Orville and Wilbur's first flight, to women voting, to civil rights, to putting a man on the moon; she was excited to think what would be in store for my life.  So far, among my experiences, I remember having a "party line" on our home phone.  Today through the computer, I trade messages with people from around the world almost every day.

Which has brought me to:

The Sadie Project.

Perhaps more to the point:  "What is it like to be a girl/woman TODAY in 2015?"

     To quote Rosalind Miles, "Men dominate history because men write history."

     That point struck me, and turned on a lightbulb.  I started to really look around, particularly to history books.  It became clearer how we had become a patriarchal society.  I cannot recommend enough, Ms. Miles' book, Who Cooked The Last Supper/Women's History of The World.  It should be required reading.  The realization that women took part throughout humanity's entire story needs to be stoked and celebrated.  And not just as the cooks, and the picker uppers.  Oh yea, and as the life and caregivers.  As I tried to stress the other day, when faced with women's issues, topics, or women themselves- many seem to find it silly or unnecessary to discuss.  This oblivious disregard burns my britches.  The conclusion that since the women in your family have it good; or if you are a woman, that has found a way of having it all, and revert to only your experience as proof that the rest of 169 million American females are doing great; is smug, oblivious, arrogant, and dumb.

     I am a woman.  I am a mom.  Although that is a source of great happiness and pride for me I do not plan to encourage my 2 daughters to follow suit.  Not without a lot of talks about how much effort, time, and energy raising a human being takes.  How do I convey that so  they do not misunderstand, or doubt for a moment, that I love being their mom?  That it is and has been a source of my raison d'être.  It's so complicated, yet it's so simple.  To be fully alive and to embrace every precious moment is quite a task/gift unto itself regardless of gender.  To embark upon delivering the next generation and to inspire them to reap their full potential is quite another matter.  If you so choose to combine the two, makes for yet another experience.  Each can provide a full life filled with joy and tragedy.  But regardless of the choices that we make, we are each an individual world.  I would like to hear about as many as possible.  Thus, the impetus for The Sadie Project.

      The Sadie Project is a way to hopefully learn about other women's experience with personal authentic detail while retaining anonymity.  It is for girls/women of all ages; of  all backgrounds.  

     Following you will find a questionnaire to serve as a guideline.  Please include answers to all the The first 7 questions in BOLD.  Extra observations can be as long as you want and feel free to add any points.  DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME.  I suggest you include an obscure item to sign off with, such as "Cantaloupe"or something of the sort; that will let you know that you are reading your post when it is posted.  

1. Age:
2. Nationality: Where you were born, and where you live now, including state, province, region and country.
3. Race:
4. Religion:
5. Sexual Orientation:
6. Profession:
7. Education

Then, here are some suggestions of what to add, to fill out your history:
Drink alcohol?
Drugs?
Have you ever been arrested?
Time served?
Marital status-  Reasons for marrying.  Are you in love?  
Ever divorced?  Reasons.
Retired?
Are you a mom? Reasons for having kids.  Thoughts on having kids/not having kids/adoption/abortion etc. 
Single? Thoughts on that.  Reasons for being single.
Political party you agree with most?  Thoughts on that.
Do you vote?

Dreams you had.  Dreams/plans you have still.

Relationship with parents/siblings.

What do you think of other girls/women in general?  What do you think about men in general?

Have you ever suffered any type of abuse or violence.  

Share as much as you like.   Or need.

*If your story is not in English, I will translate to the best of my ability and resources.  Otherwise, I will not edit, correct, or change any words, in an effort to preserve the authenticity of the essay.

This is a completely voluntary, uncompensated, project.  I reserve the right to shorten essays, if I judge that it's warranted.  By submitting your essay, you  acknowledge that you will not be paid in any way, monetarily or otherwise.  You forgo all rights to what you've written.

     This is a chance to vent, confess, share what you think, about whatever, with no repercussions. Where the only requirement is that you identify as female.  Then, hopefully in time, to read other girls/women's stories.  Each time I sit down to work on this post I think of new ideas/topics to include, but really I want it to be your story.

I hope to hear from women of all ages and backgrounds; from 10 to 100 years old.

Thank you for your consideration and contributions.
I look forward to reading and sharing your story.

You can email your submissions to: Sadiesgathering@gmail.com;

or

by mailing to:

The Sadie Project of Sadie's Gathering

P.O. Box 150

Naperville, IL 60566

Thank you.