My heart is filled with joy. As an old diehard feminist who fought, lo these many years, to gain equality for women and girls, I can barely express my pleasure after I read the story about the Michigan homecoming queen who kicked a winning field goal this week as part of her school’s varsity football team.

She’s bright. She’s beautiful. She’s a jock!

I have worked doggedly over endless bulk mail projects. I have written nearly as many letters to the editors. I have marched, I have protested in both Maine and D.C. I have coordinated workshops, conferences and legislative public hearings.

I dragged my elementary and high school age children through all of that with me, poor things.

And now I see this beautiful, brave young woman as the child to whom I gave birth, if not literally, at least politically. And certainly not all by myself.

All those airline flights in the cheap seats; all those long, hot bus trips to D.C., drive all night, march all day, drive home all the next night; all the slightly questionable motel rooms into which we would squeeze six women; the fundraisers, the newsletters — it was worth every minute of it.

It’s worth every curse tossed our way, every name we were called, every jeer, every insult. Just whispering the name, Brianna Amat, makes it all worthwhile.

I hope every woman, man and child who worked tirelessly in Maine at creating an atmosphere of acceptance and respect for women and girls will take a moment to close their eyes, take a deep breath and say to themselves: “YES! We did it!”

Maggie Ricker

Chelsea