My housemate and I would have my three-year old daughter sing "I am Woman" before we left for day care and work.
It was the height of the woman's movement and we wanted to make sure she would become a strong woman.
Strength was also in my daughter's DNA for the past three generations.
My grandmother, although a housewife, did what she wanted when she wanted. She was known in our town as "The Woman with the Ford," the only woman driver at the time. She may have followed convention, but only those she believed in.
My mother didn't see the need for the feminist movement. That was because when she was denied something because of her gender, she found another way to accomplish it.
Couldn't get a job? Start a business.
Later as a journalist there was no story she couldn't get.
My daughter had not just the examples of myself and Susan, my housemate. Susan indoctrinated many other young women as a teacher of women's studies. We read the research, the books, did the demonstrations and built careers that would have been next to impossible a decade before.
And there were my friends like Barbara the anthropologist? Doesn't every woman go live in Africa and try to become a one-woman peace corp? With three daughters and divorce papers she started university and ended up with a Ph.D.
Were we successful? My daughter is a strong woman.
The most important thing all of the women mentioned is that we followed our dreams, reworked our failures (see the words of "I am Women" below) but most importantly we are true to ourselves despite pressure by society to be otherwise.
Oh, and we also sang "Candy Man" and marched around the dining area while breakfast sat on the table.
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again
Oh yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman
Cover it with choc'late and a miracle or two
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
Who can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh
Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie
The Candy Man, the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious
Now you talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes
Oh, who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious
Talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man, the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
Yes, the Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
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