I was in graduate school at UICC in the 70s, and a worker bee in Women's Studies there. It was one of the first in the country back then. I led discussion groups as part of the program, where I met Linda.
Linda was in her 20s and married to a man who was fairly controlling. She wanted to leave him. At first she said she was worried she would hurt him by doing so, but I told her she had to be true to herself and to do what she felt she had to do.
It was the last piece of advice I gave anyone for years.
Linda went home to tell him she wanted a divorce. He picked up a butcher knife from the kitchen counter and stabbed her to death.
All because she wanted to leave him. That's all. Just leave.
She had a very good heart and was concerned how he would be hurt. And he killed her.
This is not a momentous diary analyzing the women's movement or hatred of women. I have no wisdom left at this moment, except that I am very tired of women getting murdered just because they are women. I am tired of it.
We see the hatred of women on the far right. Do they really think they actually love women and want to protect them? Of course not. They hate women and want to control them as much as possible.
They are scared to death that women might be able to control their own sexuality by having the rights of full citizenship and deciding what to do with their bodies. They can't seem to have any reaction to that other than confinement, control.
And if they can't, they may kill us.
I am so tired of it all.