Saturday morning, January 21st 2017, over one million people from all around the world voluntarily woke up to march. From Washington D.C. to Chicago, all the way from London, to Paris, Boston, Oslo, L.A., Texas, Melbourne, New York. Saturday January 21st was one for the books.
I have never felt more love, energy, and positivity in my whole entire life. Walking down the streets of Chicago, shoulder to shoulder with over 250,000 other men and women, chanting love and acceptance. Sharing smiles and hugs, bonding over the universal power of acceptance and love.
This is for equality. This is for love. This is for support. This is for women working just as hard and long as men to obtain a job and still receive less pay than them. This is for the acceptance of all races and background. This is for women’s reproductive rights and having a choice over our body. This is for funding planned parenthood. This is for every man, woman, and child who has ever felt like their voices were silenced. This is for the women who refuse to be silent when their body is threatened. This is for the people who get catcalled or sexually harassed. This is for government protection over sexually or domestically abused victims. This is for the future of female. This is for our LGBT+ family. This is for human's safety. I march for my own body and my own choices. I march for your own body and your own choices.
I respect you. I respect you if you marched. I respect you if you didn't march. I'm aware that there are women and men out in the world who feel that this march is completely unnecessary; there's no need to "whine in the streets" because we already have equal rights, women's voices are already heard, and we have full control over our body. I march for your confidence. But unfortunately, that isn't the case for everyone, and this is why this march is a thing, a very big one too. There are women and men all around the globe whose voices aren't being heard. There are women and men whose rapists are freed. There are women and men who are terrified of their safety. There are women and men who feel as if they have no control over their body. I march for them. Nobody is forcing you to march. Nobody is forcing you to voluntarily care and support for somebody who might be different than you. I choose to, and so do thousands of other humans.
Why do we march? Why is there such a thing? Isn't this kind of pointless?
Absolutely not. In fact, it wasn't until the first marches (as seen down below) where women started to obtain their rights. Women have evolved and we have come so far looking back, but this is just the start. As you've seen above, there's still reasons that make us motivated and inspired to continue to fight for a peaceful, equal change. This march wasn't going against Trump. This march is honoring our need for change and for peace. With this presidency election, our fight just continues even stronger, as we bring even more light and awareness to these topics.
I march because of March 3rd, 1913, the first Woman's March, to "protest the exclusion of women from the “political organization of society.”*
I march because of August 26th, 1970's Strike for Equality to "demand equal pay and greater political power."*
I march because of October 25th, 1997's Woman's March "to call attention to the marginalization of African-American women."*
I march for my mom. I march for my sister. I march for all of the women in my family. I march for my ladies all over the world. I march for the people who claim they aren't "feminists." I march for the "feminists." I march for equal pay for equal work. I march because I want every woman to know her voice can and will change the future. I march for your decisions. I march for my voice, and for your voice. I march for love and respect. I march for peace. I march for you, regardless of your political view.
I march for you because I care about you. I care about the world. I care about us.
I march because I know that the power of the people is way stronger than the people in power.
I march because I know we have power and knowledge that is beneficial to this world.
I march because this world deserves and needs endless peace.
I march because I know that our voices are loud enough to be heard and our power as one is strong enough.
I march because it is my way to spread and pass along support and love.
This march is going to make a difference. This march already has made a difference. There are people surrounding you who care, who are supporting you, who will voluntarily go out of their way to make sure you are happy and safe, and they don't even know you personally. The world can be corrupt, but Saturday was a day that helped heal us all, even if you don't realize it.
Like Bernie Sanders said, "President Trump, you have made a big mistake. By trying to divide us up by race, religion, gender and nationality you have actually brought us closer together. Black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American, gay or straight, male or female, native born or immigrant we will fight bigotry and create a government based on love and compassion, not hatred and divisiveness."
*Facts came from: https://www.splcenter.org/news/2017/01/21/womens-m...