I am told all the Features columnists get to have a column in the Commencement issue of the Daily. This makes me feel A) forever immortalized, because my column will end up in some college box that your parents will keep in their attic for the next 40 years, and B) less inclined to say something profound and/or gushy in this particular column, as I will get my gushy moment of glory in the Commencement issue (never fear!).
How do I wrap up this yearlong stint as a columnist in this penultimate entry and also try to make funny jokes? I can give a mostly depressing but occasionally inspiring review of the major political issues surrounding women's rights in the last year and hope it suffices.
In an example of a woman who does really good things for women, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rocked it. We saw her serve as an exemplary example of women in high political office, and we also saw her actively advocating for women's rights worldwide. And now we're patiently waiting for 2016 ... and have joined the "Ready for Hillary" Facebook group (is that just me?).
In an example of a woman who does the opposite of good things for women (or anyone), Ann Coulter is still awful. She says misguided things like: "Guns are our friends, because in a country without guns I'm what's known as 'prey.' All females are." And of course it follows that, with guns, women cease to be prey and everyone is happy so long as we shun birth control and wear our chastity promise rings.
In other unsurprising news, Republicans in both houses were responsible for killing the Violence Against Women Act in 2012, in the most obvious passing-this-bill-is-a-no-brainer in the history of no-brainers. Republicans allowed its passage in 2013 but were profusely grumpy about it and demanded problematic exceptions.
In the 2012 election cycle, Sandra Fluke stood up for a woman's right to birth control, no matter what kind of religious or political affiliation her insurance provider associates with. She withstood hateful conservative propaganda and came out on top - with her dignity, with the support of a nation and, ultimately, with the success of a presidential candidate who supported her rights as a woman.
Oh yes and, before we forget, in 2012 Mitt Romney didn't care about women. Ninety-five percent of me can look back on this and say: You didn't support women, and women didn't vote for you. And then you lost. That is extremely satisfying. But five percent of me remembers that we are in the 21st century and one of the two major candidates running for president of the United States thought he could either ignore women's rights or gloss over them lightly and still win. What the Republicans took away from the 2012 election: Women are going to vote Democrat until the Republicans get it together. And this is a success, because our votes made politicians listen.
Also, anyone who has forgotten the image of Ann Romney screaming, "I love you women!" on national television should not do so, because both the awkwardness and irony of this scene should bring you laughter and delight for years to come.
For those who have read my columns, my hope is that I have helped make you more comfortable or more proud to describe yourself as a feminist, and to continue to think about what being a feminist really means to you. As for me I'm still not sure. What I do know is that the political discourse on women's rights over the last year gives me continued inspiration to keep trying to figure it out. And keep fighting for my right to be a full-fledged human in the eyes of my country.
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Alexa Petersen is a senior majoring in political science and peace and justice studies. She can be reached at Alexa.Petersen@tufts.edu.
