It's clear that for the next four years our President will be a subject of discussion, unrest, and disrespect. What he has said and the manner with which he handles himself has made this inevitable. You could be the most dedicated Republican in the nation, could have advocated and voted for Trump, but there is no denying that he gets what he gives and what he gives is ridiculously bigoted, misogynistic, and a slap in the face to our nation. However, I'm not going to talk about all the things Trump is and isn't because that is all anyone is going to be doing for a long, long time.
Instead, I'm going to talk about baseball.
In 1943, at the peak of World War II, men weren't around to keep the great American pastime of baseball alive and thriving. They were, admirably, fighting for our country across seas. Women of the time had to step up their game and reach outside of social norms to help the war effort, work, take care of the children, and ultimately do the jobs that the men were unable to accomplish. As baseball was/is such a huge part of American culture, and since many of the players were involved with the war, there was only one way to keep the spirit alive and the game prosperous again: Recruit the Women.
The fifteen teams that evolved throughout the twelve-year period of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) paved the way for girls who make their living playing sports today with organizations like the US Women's National Soccer Team and the WNBA. Only 23 years after women won the right to vote, they were allowed to demonstrate their physical abilities. They had to fight to keep the league up, as once the war was over and the boys were back, it was as if the AAGPBL was no longer needed. Their unending determination to continue something they loved was what kept the league going. And although it ended, it left a legacy that set up a world in which women could be athletic.
And if you noticed today, girls kick butt at sports just as hard as boys do. Women are lawyers, doctors, athletes, politicians, etc. They are single moms, they work more than one job, some are CEOs, some are icons, some are professors. We have women pilots, women in the army, many win awards and many live without doing so. Some dedicate their lives to their work, while others are the sole providers of their families.
One even ran for president. She didn't win, but she has paved the way for so many now. Much like Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and the AAGPBL.
So if you're feeling empowered, and you aren't listening to our President-elect, go for it.
Be the female who becomes President and hits a home run at the same time.
