The Only Constant is Change! - Time Out #271

Now all our Thanksgiving food, both hot and cold, has been consumed, and our fellowship has been greatly enriched, let's move forward together!

During my time on Planet Earth, the social changes I have witnessed have been astounding, to say the least. Today, I am going to focus my writings to you, readers in Our Town and far beyond, on a single group of people.

Females.

For the sake of review, I was raised in Our Town in the 1950's and 1960's, certainly simpler and gentler times; absolutely not the laser speed of today's electronic pace.

During my childhood/teenage years, many women worked at home, certainly demanding jobs, which also usually included the primary adult responsibilities over the family's children. Males frequently held down the financial responsibilities for our American families, and these "traditional" roles could be watched daily, via our local black and white television sets. These entertainment boxes brought their grainy pictures to us, sometimes with rabbit ear antennas, and the remote control system was merely getting up, walking across the room, and manually changing to one of our 4 channel choices. Shows such as "Father Knows Best", "Leave it to Beaver", and "Ozzie and Harriet", featured traditional stay-at-home moms, and their working-man husbands.

Time then rolled into the unsettled 1960's with our young power couple, President Jack and first lady, Jacque Kennedy. Also present was the much controversial Vietnam "Conflict", and increasing social unrest. These turbulent times continued with increased illegal drug use, the arrival of so-called long-haired hippies, and, of course, that social phenomena termed "free love". During this divided decade, we also witnessed the "women's movement", and the establishment of NOW (National Organization for Women) in 1966. Along with President Lyndon B. Johnson's legislative Great Society programs to assist the civil rights movement, America's females were leaving their homes in greater numbers to establish themselves in the nation's work force. Possibly, one of the biggest female game-changers was the oral contraceptive pills (1960). Once these effective and safe tiny pills became widely available, females began "moving to the front" in many of our society lines.

From my life's perspective, all the female gains have been a good thing. Heck, in my OU Medical School class of 1974, we numbered 135 students, but only 7 were ladies. Today, enrollment in all U.S. medical schools, the student enrollment is over 50-percent female. Those numbers are positive progress for sure!

My eyes were wide open during this high school football season when I officiated my first-ever game on the field of the Coyle Yellowjackets, Coyle's visiting opponents were the scrappy Wilson Eagles, in exciting 8-man football action. The game was like a track meet, won 58-50, by the Yellowjackets. However, for me, the real game story was contained in uniform #1 for the visitors. This player was about 5'1", maybe 105 pounds, including full uniform, but was one of the loudest, fiercest, and most energetic players on the field. Just to mention, the player had a long, single blonde ponytail out the back of her helmet and down her back. Yes, folks, I said HER! This little dynamite player was a cheerleader, pom, and hard-hitting defensive back, all rolled into one.

So, I could certainly go on, and on, and on about differing female roles for ladies in today's world. You.ve already see these changes every day in your regular world for a long time. As previously stated, it's all good. Just sayin'..