Myself, among thousands of others, are awe-inspired by the women’s marches that took place this past weekend. There is power in numbers. When you go out to the poles and vote for your president-elect, you are only seen as a number. You can’t see just what 2.9 million people look like until you see actual people; those who are strong, empowered and dignified. You don’t see the mothers and daughters, the fathers and sons. You don’t see the sisters and brothers and grandmothers and grandfathers. There’s something special about seeing these human beings and their beliefs.
The Women’s March was legendary. Not only did a record amount of individuals march, but also there were no reported acts of violence in any way, shape or form. It truly was a peaceful protest.
If you don’t support the Women’s March, that is your right. You don’t have to understand it; it’s okay if you don’t. Just know that it is/ was an impactful event and experience for millions of people across the nation and across the globe, not just specifically women.
Maybe you’re among those who don’t see why women feel like they need to keep fighting for more rights. It’s possible you believe that women already have a long list of rights and aren’t as inferior to men than they actually are. If you don’t feel personally victimized or inferior as a woman, that’s wonderful; that means that we’re making progress. It is, however, important to note that many women do feel personally victimized and inferior to men. These are women of color, LGBTQ women, etc. Just because something doesn’t affect you personally doesn’t mean it doesn't affect others and that there is no problem. The women’s march was fueled by the inauguration, but certainly is not the only time women and men alike have expressed their feelings in this way.
Perhaps you’re among those who are saying that we’re focusing on equality in the United States and not thinking about how poorly women in other countries have it. There have been arguments that women in other countries have it worse, and you’re not wrong! At the same time, there are plenty of women in this country who marched/individuals marched for. If you’re more privileged it’s difficult to see this. I myself know that I am privileged. I also know that I’d like to be a voice for the voiceless; those other individuals who don’t have it as good as I do. It’s so important to be aware of what’s going on outside of the bubble you live in. In addition, if we could reach a point where women’s equality was ubiquitous in the United States, it may put us in a better position to then spread that equality to other countries. Progress has to start somewhere, and making progress as a gender is still making progress. Plus, there are women from every single continent that marched and protested.
It is also important to note that every individual marched for his or her own reason. Its focus was to protest the President of the United States of America, but why specifically varies from person to person. For some it has to do with his support of defunding Planned Parenthood, for others it may have been because of his remarks about sexual assault; it varies. Even if you are a supporter of President Trump, you can still respect the women who have stood up for something they believe in.
Those rights that you do have as women? You can thank the women before you for fighting for those rights. They marched and advocated for women’s equality and it paid off. Thanks to Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul, we have the right to vote. Change can't come if individuals remain silent.Peaceful protests like the women’s march are something that bring us together more than it divides us. You can believe what you want about it, but it still happened and has impacted lives.
