Today I marched and for those of you who don't understand why protesting is important and for those of you who question the need to fight, let me explain.
Let me attempt to answer your questions. Let me give you a history lesson. Let me outline our expectations. And let me introduce you to a big thing called hope.
Many have asked why the Women's March is so important and many of you have even mocked our efforts. It is critical, because many great protests have lead to great change. It is vital because it is hope, it is unity, and it is what we need in this moment of despair. Protest does not mean that we are done and it certainly does not mean that our goal has been accomplished. Protest is not a destruction of property. It is not violence. And sure as hell is not whining. So do not confuse our march with the acts of angry rioters.
Protest is a powerful tool. Look at the great leaders who inspired through marching, demonstrating, and protesting. Martin Luther King Jr marched against discrimination and his efforts ultimately led to the Civil Rights Acts of 1964; Cesar Chavez organized farm workers, which led to higher pay and improved (but still not ideal) working environments; Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, two of the most respected world leaders, used protest to fight for independence and human rights. The people of our precious country have been demonstrating since we were founded. The Boston Tea Party is one example. Factory workers and laborers have used protest since we were just 13 colonies in an attempt to fight against greed to earn a wage that could support their families. The suffragettes rallied for a woman's rights to vote. Not long ago, our Native American brothers and sisters in North Dakota peacefully stood against the construction of a dangerous pipeline. If you still don't get it, pick up a history book. (Might I recommend A People's History of the United States.)
And now we use protest for our cause: to fight for women and continued efforts towards equality. These are not new issues and this is not a new fight, but this is a response to a new administration, specifically a new president, which has a horrible track record when it comes to the treatment of women. We are marching as a tool to accelerate change, to advertise our demands for respect, and to display our numbers. It is our opportunity to show the pride and passion that unite us. The Women's March was monumental in our century long revolution. We are introducing America to the masses of men and women who fight alongside us. It is an opportunity to see the diverse faces of our resisters. It is our time to come together, create ideas, share our vision, and network with people who want to get involved. It's time set aside to sing the sorrows of our heart, praise the work of our revolutionary ancestors, and shout the agenda of our movement.
If you do not argue with the value of protest, but rather question the existence of inequalities and injustices of women, then you may not recognize the threat of our current administration, you may not be watching closely enough. All women are affected. Muslim women are labeled as terrorists, or harshly judged if they choose to wear the hijab. Black women are labeled as criminals. Native women are denied access to their land and water. Brown women fear their families will be torn apart by deportation. Women are more often on the receiving end of violence, like intimate partner violence and sex trafficking. Lesbian women worry their marriages will be denied. Young women may lose full access to reproductive health. Old women may lose their health insurance. Future women will grow up in a world where "locker room talk" is normalized and sexual assault goes unpunished or under-punished . Little women in elementary will have funding stripped from their schools, women in high school will dream a little less because of that damn glass ceiling, women in college will be objectified as sex symbols, women in careers will be denied equal wages for equal work. And even Mother Nature is threatened with the greed of the fossil fuel industry. Women are your mothers and grandmothers, your sisters and daughters. Women are humans and our rights are in danger and the work that has already been done is at risk of being rewinded. That is why this protest mattered.
And if still you argue with the core of our mission that women are not yet equal to men, then I am glad you have been protected from the harassment of men on the street, the legislative efforts to make decisions on our behalf, and the lack of societal expectations for women. I am glad that your wages are on par with that of your male peers and that your leadership potential has never been questioned because of your continuously alternating hormones. I am glad that you have never been discriminated against for your desire to bear children, or your desire or inability not to. I am glad you have had access to affordable childcare and that you have never been charged higher insurance premiums for merely being a woman. I am glad that your breasts can openly feed your children, because your body is not objectified as a sexual symbol. I am glad that you have never felt pressured to keep every hair on your body perfectly manicured and that you’ve never compared yourself to the photoshopped models of magazine covers. I am glad that your husband assumes equal responsibility of childcare, household chores and meal preparation. I am glad that you can walk down the sidewalk free from catcalls, groping, and pleas for a smile. I am very glad you’ve never been raped, because a man feels he has the right to your body; I am glad you’ve never felt pressured to lose your virginity, because you can’t be considered a prude; and I’m glad you feel bold enough to be open with your sexuality without fear of being reprimanded as a slut.
And if you live your life without oppression, then I am glad that your privilege has safe guarded you. I am truly, honestly, wholeheartedly glad, but please reconsider joining those of us who still have to fight. And if you've realized your privilege isn't bulletproof, then join me in holding all Americans to a higher standard. Do not be satisfied with the right to drive, to vote, to bear children and to work even if the wage is on average less than your male counterparts. I will challenge you with a quote from one of the greatest female leaders, Harriet Tubman, who said, “I have freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”
It is for all these reasons, that I proudly marched with the women and men of my community. If you are doubtful of the power of protest, then continue to hold us accountable so that we proceed with action. If you deny the inequalities we face, then I challenge you to raise your standards, and plea that you will continue to learn more about the issues that your fellow women face. As for me, I will continue to march for hope. I will continue to unite for the equality of women, so many beautifully different and incredibly strong women.
