Today I discovered a particularly obnoxious column in the Boston Globe that began with the line, "A specter is haunting America, and much of the industrialized world - the specter of female domination."  The piece, by Globe columnist Alex Beam, argues that women are taking over America and that boys are "tomorrow's second sex."  Beam claims that because women outnumber men in general, in colleges, and in the workforce, they are, in effect, "dominating" America. As the father of 3 sons, Beam wonders if he is "raising the underclass of tomorrow."  Seriously? 

Alex Beam seems pretty out of step with the status quo, especially within the context of healthcare reform. Soon, Congress will vote on a healthcare reform bill.  Both the House and Senate versions of the bill contain discriminatory, anti-choice language that would put serious limitations on a woman's right to choose. Politicians (including Pro-Choice ones) in both the House and Senate were quick to compromise on women's rights and women's healthcare for the "greater good" of healthcare reform.

Does this sound like a nation "dominated" by women? Will Alex Beam's sons have to experience an unplanned pregnancy because he didn't purchase a separate insurance voucher ahead of time? Despite the increasing number of women in positions of power, we are all operating within a social framework that does not value women's health or women's issues. It will take more than simply outnumbering men on college campuses to accomplish the kind of social paradigm shift needed to create real equality. Still, we can act now to work towards a more egalitarian future.

Today, Not Under the Bus, a project of the Women’s Media Center, is asking women everywhere to take action.  Here are some ways to join in.

Tweet: Take Action today with @NotUnderTheBus. Demand that women’s rights be protected in #HCR: http://bit.ly/7u15IG #underthebus

Post our video to your Facebook page, Blog, or status: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUtLTB6zKbo

Donate your Facebook Status to raise awareness: “Today is Take Action Day with NotUnderTheBus.com. What are you doing to demand pro-choice, fair health care? http://bit.ly/7u15IG. Take Action. Write an op-ed, call your Senator, sign a petition. Demand that women’s rights be protected in health care reform.”

Sign and Share Our Petition: Tell lawmakers in Washington to keep women’s health care safe, fair and covered and urge them to strike any anti-abortion amendments from the final bill. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/do-not-throw-women-under-the-bus

And visit the Take Action page for more ideas! http://www.notunderthebus.com/?page_id=51