It really angers and triggers me when I hear the sexism going on with Trump and Vance.
Let’s make America Great Again...yeah right.
I remember in 73- 1974 I really wanted a piano. I was divorced, working 2 jobs, supporting my son and paying all the bills with no help. I had my own apartment, paid all my bills and bought very little for myself. All my extra money went towards my 6 year old’s entertainment like a trip to Six Flags or savings for unexpected needs. I could afford a piano on a payment plan of 40.00 a month. I fell in love with a spinet piano at a music store. My car was paid for and I could afford this purchase.
I went into the store and the sales people had me all excited about this piano that was on sale. I would have to pay 100.00 down and 40.00 a month. I could do that. All was go until I went to actually purchase the piano. My credit was good. I went to sign the papers when the finance manager told me all that he needed was my husband’s signature. I said, “I am divorced”. I have been on my job for over 2 years , He said, “ Sorry, we don’t finance women.” I said,” What are you talking about? Nobody pays my bills but me. They shook their head no.
I didn’t give up there, I went to several other places and it was the same thing. I finally went home and cried. Daddy happen to come over that evening and said, “ I will sign with you”. I was so used to being discriminated this way without a man in my life that even though I was angered, I knew it was the same thing when I went to buy tires on my car. I wiped my tears and Daddy and I went to get for my piano. Had they run Daddy’s credit, it was not as good as my credit but they just wanted a man’s signature. I appreciated Daddy’s help but I was a grown woman and not 12 years old. I paid my bills, had a good job and credit raising a 6 year old by myself with court ordered child support not being paid.
Men could hit their wives and cops would do little or nothing. We used to call it Friday Night beatings. I had to live in an apartment for two years after my divorce that my x husband and I shared because his name was on the lease. It took some time before I could rent an apartment in my own name. Many women stayed in their marriages even through abuse just to have financial access to accounts that had their husband’s name on the account. This is real. This happened. I would go as far to say that this was very normal in the 50’, 60’s and early 70’s. You might ask, well how did you have good credit if you had no access to credit. I paid my bills like rent and utilities. They did not report that to the credit agencies. I paid for child care with cash. I paid my bills and not late and to me that was good credit.
Many many men were ordered to pay child support and even when you took them back to court, they would not comply and nothing was done about it. ( except in rare occasions back then).
But it wasn't until 1974 that women were allowed to open a credit card under their own name. Before 1974, if women wanted to open a credit card, they would be asked a bunch of intrusive questions, like if they were married or whether they planned to have children. If a woman was married, she could (hopefully) get a credit card with her husband. But single, divorced, or widowed women weren't allowed to get a credit card of their own -- they had to have a man cosign for the credit application.
Under the laws of that era, women weren't treated entirely like actual people with economic rights and earning power of their own. Then in 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act made it illegal for companies to deny people credit based on their gender, race, religion, or national origin
This was a law that took some time to catch up. Most businesses stuck to the man signature.
Why access to credit is a civil right
Getting access to credit is a big part of financial freedom, and until 50 years ago, half the population didn't have it. The word "credit" is based on the idea of trust. When a bank issues you a credit card, it is expressing trust that you are a responsible adult who will pay your bills. Not giving women credit cards was a way of treating women like children, and keeping women under men's control.
This is exactly what Trump/Vance is talking about when talking about Make America Great Again.
How any woman or POC could vote for these sexist jerks is beyond me.
I ain’t going back. That is where women are headed if VP Harris is not our next President.
VOTE like your life and pocketbook depend on it…..It does.