It Is Okay to Feel Insulted
The 2023 International Women’s Day Courage awardee choice insults women who fight for equality daily.
On March 8, the Biden Administration honored Alba Reuda with the International Women’s Day Courage award. This trans woman was recognized for her courage and activism in the LGBTQ community.
Praise for the Bidens’ forward-thinking consumed headlines globally. The same media outlets blasted conservative news sites and politicians for their disapproval. These conservative naysayers think people should open their eyes and see that this year’s award insults millions of courageous biological females.
Additionally, these people believe anyone who thinks trans women qualify for International Women’s Day awards should quit ignoring their instinctual feelings and admit they are insulted. Doing so would not diminish their LGBTQ allegiance; it would clarify boundaries.
Reasonable voices calmly explained why feeling insulted is not wrong by pointing out the following truths:
International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month should be used to honor the struggle of biological females: Not the transgender effort. Imagine if a white person was given a Black History Courage award. Black Americans would be outraged, and rightfully so.
Reuda’s efforts in transgender activism are commendable. However, awarding her courage on International Women’s Day is misplaced — June is LGBT Pride Month.
There are better-suited candidates for the International Woman’s Day Courage Award.
However, since women have struggled for equality since patriarchy’s onset, creating a comprehensive list of suitable nominees would be a lifelong task. After all, many women merit awards for their bravery, like single mothers, first responders, activists, and more. Nevertheless, here are some notable women who deserve recognition for their courage:
Alice Paul was the head of the National Woman’s Party in 1923. She believed women would not achieve equality under the 19th Amendment and proposed its revision. Paul’s vision took decades to see significant advancement, but in 1972, a version of her amendment earned bipartisan support, and President Richard Nixon endorsed the ERA. Unfortunately, Paul’s courageous endeavor has yet to be ratified.
Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Russian lieutenant for the Red Army 25th Rifle Division during the Battle of Stalingrad. According to the Smithsonian, at 25, she had been wounded four times and was “the most successful and feared female sniper in history, with 309 confirmed kills to her credit.” This courageous woman is also remembered as a women’s rights advocate.
Hedy Lamarr, a Hollywood actress from Vienna, is remembered for her inventions that changed the world. During WWII, she developed a technology that led to WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS development.
Katherine Bigalow is the first woman to win the Directors Guild of American Awards for directing the 2008 feature film, “The Hurt Locker.” Her courageous movies feature complex characters whose valor drives the storylines.
Finally, choosing a trans woman to represent the courage of the generations-long battle for women’s legal equality is wrong. This is just another example of the United States continuing to fail its female and other disenfranchised citizens. Moreover, it is not anti-LGBTQ to be angry and insulted by this latest slight.
Do not let those feelings subside. Instead, use those feelings to recharge the activism needed to ensure Constitutional equality in America is a reality.