Country Girls

One of the most surprising things for me to learn upon going to the big city was that, for the first time in my life, I faced blatant sexism.  I very much remember the first time well.  I was sitting in Constitutional Law class when a guy my age made some comment to the tune of how 50% of the class (guess which half?) belonged in the kitchen.  He was totally kidding, right?  Nope.  He was provoking people?  Nuh-uh.  The kid (and several others who sided with him) believed that those of us missing Y chromosomes (and various body parts) had no business being lawyers.

The worst part is that he wasn't alone.  Both intentional and wholly unintentional bias is rampant throughout the legal profession.  By the time you get to the top of most firms, particularly large firms, you can usually count on one hand the number of women.  Some of it is the choice of women--when faced with ivy league college tuition costs for preschools versus staying home with the kids, something has to give if it can.  Some of it is that law schools weren't 50/50 until about my generation, so maybe they're making their way to the top.  I doubt it.  A lot of it really is that there is a wide-spread belief, among peers and more often among clients, that the woman can't cut it. 

I'm not preaching today about the situation.  It is what it is.  But what absolutely SHOCKED me is that it really doesn't seem that way here.  I had come to assume that it was my experience that was unique.  I was surrounded by incredible people who never once questioned, nor let me question, my abilities because I am a woman.  And over the past several years, I figured that these people were just special.  Well, they are.  But I also really do think that things are just different out here.  When you think about it--it makes sense.  Life here is primarily about survival.  Particularly for those who came from farm and ranch backgrounds.  The women typically had/have a heckuvalotta kids and raise them while branding cattle and shooting deer.  Those without such histories simply need to be able to hold their own (and typically can--my advice is to pick bar fights in Montana with guys).  Or maybe I am painfully stereotyping.  Regardless, unless they are women with too much money and way too much time, the chicks out here are badasses.  And the people out here love them that way.

There's some relief in this realization for me.  I felt pretty down about the entirety of the world, based on some of my experiences.  I just couldn't fathom that the world really is a place where women are secondary.  And I started to think that I was the freak because I didn't think that was right.  Well, gentlemen and particularly ladies, I am here to tell you that I may be a freak, but the belief that women are anything lesser ain't the "way of the world."  So don't buy it.  And if it comes to it, get yourself a horse and come on out to the wilderness.  We could always use another badass or badass supporter.