By Jamie Parker | Opinion Editor
After the Women’s Marches that took place on Saturday, January 21st, the day after the Inauguration of Donald Trump, people all over the country took to the internet to tell the people who were participating in the marches how they felt about it.
Many of those people were supportive of the marches that were happening nationwide. Yet there were some, as there always are, who were not as supportive. These people condemned the marchers as, “not real” women because they’re only marching for themselves, or how these marchers were being “irrational,” because the current administration hasn’t even done anything yet, or even how there is no need for this because women “already have equal rights.” So this is my response to those people. This is why I march.
First off, let me set the record straight. I am a straight, white, twenty-year-old, American girl who was brought up in an upper-middleclass household, in one of the most liberal states in the country. I have not known much struggle in my short life, and this me checking my privilege. I am not marching for myself. I am mostly marching for my sisters of all races, religions, class, sexual orientation etc. So I march for them.
I refuse to allow someone to tell me I am not a real woman because of how I choose to support my sisters. There is a picture circulating Facebook, as well as other social media sites of a few women standing in military uniforms with the caption, “Here are the Real Women who fight for your rights! #WomensMarch.” Those women are absolute heroes. Nothing I ever do, or say could thank them enough for their service to my country and I. But their service does not me any less of a woman than them. Just because someone does not make the choice of military service, doe by no means mean they are any less of a person than someone who does serve.
I march for the thousands of women in the military who have been raped, or sexually harassed by their male counterparts. The men that were supposed to have their backs, and then decided to stab them in it. I march for women to have to sign up for the draft, just like men. So I march for our service women.
I refuse to be called “irrational” because the current administration hasn’t done anything yet. In a brief interview with Professor Susan Blake, she said “We wanted to show him and his administration that our eyes are on them. From day one we are watching you, and counting on the decisions you make for us.” Which I think sums it up quite nicely.
We are here, from the literal day one. Generations of women have been fighting battles with government since we established our government. We have come so far since Women’s Suffrage, and it would simply be tragic if this administration were to bring us back to where we have been before in the past. We still have a long way to go, and many more generations of fighting for what we want. So I march for my daughters.
All of that progress being said, women are still not equal to men. Economically, women still make about 80 cents for every $1 a man makes. This takes place everywhere from Hollywood roles such as, Emmy Rossum, who recently fought for equal pay as her co-star William H. Macy on the highly rated show, Shameless. It takes place all the way up the ladder to CEO positions of major companies.
We also aren’t equal in the sense of safety. We are still urged to never be alone, whether that be walking home, or even going to the bathroom. Women are never to go anywhere without an escort. Plus, when women do choose to be promiscuous, or choose to embrace their sexual identity, they are immediately chastised for being “sluts,” and “whores,” but when men do the same they’re perceived as a god amongst their friends. And those issues are just those happening here! Don’t even get me started on how women are treated in places like the Middleeast. We have come exceptionally far, especially in comparison to the struggling women in other countries. So I march for them.
I march for all women, not just me, not just American women, or white women, or straight women. I march for every woman, and their allies. We are all in this together, and I will continue to march for as long as I have to.
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