I doubt Rosie the Riveter would have stopped working. I doubt she would have thrown down her tools, threw on a red shirt, and marched her ass right out of the factory to stand and shout in the street.
She had a job to do. She had an army of men and an entire country that relied on her. We relied on her for one simple fact - women get shit done.
I know. This doesn't sound like me, the raging feminist. Hear me out.
On March 8, International Women's Day, women all over the world will be participating on A Day Without Women. On this day, we are to take to the streets and march, holding signs high and shouting our worth to the world. This is what we did just a few short months ago on January 21. On March 8, we are called to "not engage in paid and unpaid work, avoid spending money, and wear red in solidarity."
Uh huh.
So... if I'm not engaging in paid or unpaid work, what the fuck am I doing? Sitting on my ass all day? Catching up on my reading? Sounds terrible...
This isn't the first Women's March. In fact, it isn't even a new thing. Women have been marching and protesting for equal treatment since the 1700s and earlier (see: Women's march on Versailles on October 5, 1789). Side Rant: Anyone else feel exhausted by that fact? Now I totally get that "I can't believe I still have to protest this shit" sign. Yeah. It's been over 200 years. Honestly.
As I was saying, women all over the world have held protests of this nature and they have been successful. Women in America marched for suffrage in 1913 and were finally granted the right to vote seven years later. Women in South Africa started a protest against discriminatory laws. The subsequent protests became deadly and violent. The laws were finally overturned in 1986. Women in Iceland took "Women's Day Off" in 1975, with 90% of the women refusing to do any work. In a related strike just last year, women in Iceland left work at 2:38pm to protest the wage gap. The number of protests in 2016 from all over the world was historic.
Given the three examples from above, you may notice a pattern: time. History shows that when women march and protest, they are heard and seen. The social injustices they are so passionate about are adorned on the front page news and garner attention. And thirty years later, the goal will be met. It takes time. It shouldn't, but it does. And it will, because it's worth it, because it's effective. So, keep marching.
Just keep marching, without me, on March 8.
Like Rosie the Riveter, I have a job to do. I have a wage to earn. I have a family that depends on me, not just for my wage, but on ME. I have children to feed, to get off to school, to teach about the world and the people in it. I have a future generation to mold. Ain't no one got time off for that.
It's kind of like when members of Congress decline to vote on crucial issues in protest or boycott important events because they simply don't agree. From an American woman that is working her ass off every day, I want to say: GET BACK TO WORK. I did not elect you to throw a temper tantrum and play the silent treatment. I elected you because I know you can make the changes.
It comes back to that whole phrase "actions speak louder than words." Guess what. That's bull crap. Action and words have power, especially when used together.
Right about now it sounds like I'm a little hostile towards my fellow ovary-carriers that are spending their time and effort on marching. I'm not, so let me backpedal here a bit and clarify: The Women's March, A Day Without Women, and International Women's Day are all necessary and important. We need women that are willing to walk off the job and out of their homes. We need women that are taking the risk to be heard and seen and fight for the next thirty years or however long it will take.
We need you. I need you. I need you because while you're out at the front lines, I'm going to be back here, using my words, working my ass off in another aspect to fight for what I believe in. I'm going to get up in the morning, take care of my babies, go to work, run a household, and save this chauvinistic world from itself one hour at a time.
Rosie the Riveter knew she was doing the work of men and getting paid half. She knew she was leaving her family behind and taking on the roles of two people. She knew that at the end of the day she still had to go home and be mom and make up for all of it. But she did it. Because she could. Because she understood what it meant for the backbone of a nation to rely on the backbones of women, and that without us, history would have been much different.
On March 8, I won't be marching. I might wear red. I will participate in paid and unpaid work. I will probably spend money. But I will still be a woman, and a feminist, and I will still believe in the cause and support it and uphold it every day. And I will still march, in my own way, to my own beat.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Sunday, January 22, 2017
A Promise from a Women's March Supporter
As the Women's March gained momentum and attention yesterday, I kept reading some opinions that weren't quite hitting the mark on what was going on or why. To help with this, I'm putting on my Feminist hat and clearing up a few details.
This is not a political problem. This is a humanitarian problem. It is intertwined with politics due to the global stage that has been offered and due to the political agendas and policies that are threatening our basic human rights.
The election of President Trump is not the problem. It is a symptom of a much greater problem. Hating President Trump will not solve the problem. Impeaching him will not solve the problem. The problem is us, because WE elected him. Reasons for voting range from full blown support of everything he does and says to hating him as a person but supporting his policies to simply not wanting to vote for the other candidates. There are endless reasons for electing President Trump, just like there are endless reasons to March.
People voted for him because they weren't bothered enough by the things he said and did, the way he treated people. That is the problem. Not him. Us. We were willing to ignore hate, ignorance, and intolerance simply for a change. That is how desperate we are in American politics.
Women's March does not equal Hating Men March nor does it equal Hating Trump March. As a supporter of the Women's March and Women's Movement, I can say that I actually support President Trump. Okay, hear me out. No, I did not vote for him, but due to the way democracy is coordinated in this country (yes, coordinated like a god damned country club gala), he was elected to the Presidency and sworn in. He is now the President. I'm giving him a chance. Barring impeachment, he will be the President for at least the next 4 years. I owe him a chance. I do not want him to fail. That would be bad for all of us. Others may not feel that way. That's fine.
I can support him because I don't have any fear over the potential damage he and other members of government office could inflict. Not anymore. Not after yesterday. After President Trump was elected, I was concerned with what was going to happen to this country and what aftermath we were going to leave for our children. Not anymore. Now I know, I've seen, what we will and will not tolerate. I know that no matter what happens in the next Presidency, we will be okay. We have risen and we will continue to rise.
Again, the Women's March is not about politics. It's about humans. It's about our rights and tolerance and acceptance and love and having a voice and using it to say "There is a problem and we will fix it." We are not whining. We are talking. We are not blaming. We are taking action. We are not just women. We are men, children, families. We are not just black, we are all races and nationalities. We are not just queer, we are whatever we want to be. We are not just Americans. We are the World.
You can be a person that voted for Trump and supports his Presidency and still be a member of the Women's March. Trump was not elected only by white males. He was elected by minorities, women, and immigrants.
Not every woman has to be a supporter of the Women's March or Women's Movement. The hashtag #notmywomensmarch is trending. And guess what? That's okay! You don't want to be a part of it? Fine. Then don't. It's not required for all females to be feminists, just like it's not required that all feminists be females. Kudos for standing up for yourself and your belief and not joining a movement you didn't support simply because it was trending in the news and social media.
As a supporter and participant of the Women's March and Women's Movement, I will give you Respect. I will show you respect, regardless of who you voted for or what your political beliefs are. I will give you Tolerance. I will tolerate your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. I will give you Help. I will help you if you need it, however I can. I won't turn away just because of who you are or what you believe in.
I will not respect anger, ignorance, or the demeaning of other people. I will not tolerate actions of hate and violence towards others. I will not help propagate an agenda of hate, segregation, or ignorance. I will not look the other way if I see or hear this. However, I will not get in your face, point my finger, and yell. I will listen. I will speak with confidence. I will try to understand your point of view. And I will March my hippie Feminist ass in the other direction if you choose not to listen, or have a conversation, or practice the same respect and tolerance and that I have offered. Because I have that choice. Just like you have a choice in what you support, what you respect, and what you tolerate.
And if I walk away and you still need help, I will turn around and help. Because you are human, regardless of the quality of hate that could spew from your mouth. I will help you because you are human and THAT is what this whole damn demonstration is about. We are nasty to each other and we've had enough of it.
I will keep talking about this. I will keep sharing photos and quotes. I will keep Marching. We're not going away. Finally. We're not going away. You don't have to like it, you don't have to accept it, but know that in my world, there is not an us vs. them. There is just us, and We are all parts of the same bird.
This is not about women. It's about all of us. This is not political. It is human. This is not American. It is global. We're going to keep Rising. We're going to keep Marching. We're going to Continue. Because We Can.
This is not a political problem. This is a humanitarian problem. It is intertwined with politics due to the global stage that has been offered and due to the political agendas and policies that are threatening our basic human rights.
The election of President Trump is not the problem. It is a symptom of a much greater problem. Hating President Trump will not solve the problem. Impeaching him will not solve the problem. The problem is us, because WE elected him. Reasons for voting range from full blown support of everything he does and says to hating him as a person but supporting his policies to simply not wanting to vote for the other candidates. There are endless reasons for electing President Trump, just like there are endless reasons to March.
People voted for him because they weren't bothered enough by the things he said and did, the way he treated people. That is the problem. Not him. Us. We were willing to ignore hate, ignorance, and intolerance simply for a change. That is how desperate we are in American politics.
Women's March does not equal Hating Men March nor does it equal Hating Trump March. As a supporter of the Women's March and Women's Movement, I can say that I actually support President Trump. Okay, hear me out. No, I did not vote for him, but due to the way democracy is coordinated in this country (yes, coordinated like a god damned country club gala), he was elected to the Presidency and sworn in. He is now the President. I'm giving him a chance. Barring impeachment, he will be the President for at least the next 4 years. I owe him a chance. I do not want him to fail. That would be bad for all of us. Others may not feel that way. That's fine.
I can support him because I don't have any fear over the potential damage he and other members of government office could inflict. Not anymore. Not after yesterday. After President Trump was elected, I was concerned with what was going to happen to this country and what aftermath we were going to leave for our children. Not anymore. Now I know, I've seen, what we will and will not tolerate. I know that no matter what happens in the next Presidency, we will be okay. We have risen and we will continue to rise.
Again, the Women's March is not about politics. It's about humans. It's about our rights and tolerance and acceptance and love and having a voice and using it to say "There is a problem and we will fix it." We are not whining. We are talking. We are not blaming. We are taking action. We are not just women. We are men, children, families. We are not just black, we are all races and nationalities. We are not just queer, we are whatever we want to be. We are not just Americans. We are the World.
You can be a person that voted for Trump and supports his Presidency and still be a member of the Women's March. Trump was not elected only by white males. He was elected by minorities, women, and immigrants.
Not every woman has to be a supporter of the Women's March or Women's Movement. The hashtag #notmywomensmarch is trending. And guess what? That's okay! You don't want to be a part of it? Fine. Then don't. It's not required for all females to be feminists, just like it's not required that all feminists be females. Kudos for standing up for yourself and your belief and not joining a movement you didn't support simply because it was trending in the news and social media.
As a supporter and participant of the Women's March and Women's Movement, I will give you Respect. I will show you respect, regardless of who you voted for or what your political beliefs are. I will give you Tolerance. I will tolerate your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. I will give you Help. I will help you if you need it, however I can. I won't turn away just because of who you are or what you believe in.
I will not respect anger, ignorance, or the demeaning of other people. I will not tolerate actions of hate and violence towards others. I will not help propagate an agenda of hate, segregation, or ignorance. I will not look the other way if I see or hear this. However, I will not get in your face, point my finger, and yell. I will listen. I will speak with confidence. I will try to understand your point of view. And I will March my hippie Feminist ass in the other direction if you choose not to listen, or have a conversation, or practice the same respect and tolerance and that I have offered. Because I have that choice. Just like you have a choice in what you support, what you respect, and what you tolerate.
And if I walk away and you still need help, I will turn around and help. Because you are human, regardless of the quality of hate that could spew from your mouth. I will help you because you are human and THAT is what this whole damn demonstration is about. We are nasty to each other and we've had enough of it.
I will keep talking about this. I will keep sharing photos and quotes. I will keep Marching. We're not going away. Finally. We're not going away. You don't have to like it, you don't have to accept it, but know that in my world, there is not an us vs. them. There is just us, and We are all parts of the same bird.
This is not about women. It's about all of us. This is not political. It is human. This is not American. It is global. We're going to keep Rising. We're going to keep Marching. We're going to Continue. Because We Can.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Paths of Victory - We Shall Walk
The United States swore in a new President yesterday.
This is a fact. The only fact that really matters, actually.
It doesn't matter how many people attended the inauguration. It doesn't matter who performed or which celebrities attended. Last I checked, thanks to the electoral college, this wasn't a popularity contest.
I stayed away from social media yesterday for the most part. I didn't watch the inauguration. No, it wasn't in protest or because I'm still whining over who was elected. I didn't have time. Not that I needed to stop what I was doing and tune in. It was covered over and over and over and over and over from all points of views on social media. And anyway, thanks to my high school American Government class, I get the gist of what happened.
Today, however, is a different story.
Today on Facebook, for example, people are going about their daily business. Birthday wishes. Fun recipes to try. Funny cat videos. Inspirational quotes. Like nothing is happening today. Just another day.
Nope. It's not.
Today, women are marching all over this great country of ours. We are marching, wearing pink, carrying signs. Demanding to be heard, to be seen, to be real.
And yet, this important movement gets crickets.
From the few posts I have seen, there seems to be some confusion about what is actually going on. Luckily, I have a brain and can clear a few things up for those that care (p.s. we should all care).
My first disclaimer is that I am not at any actual marches. I am watching this all from home. If that discredits me, feel free to stop reading. However, last time I checked, I still had a pair of badass ovaries that grant me the title of "woman." I, too, want to be seen, heard, and be real.
My second disclaimer is that I have not read any news sources on the marches. I have seen pictures posted on Instagram from those that are there. What you are about to read is entirely my own opinion. I generally don't trust the media, even if it's about a cause I fully support, such as Women's Rights.
The first confusion people have is they don't understand why we're marching. I have seen it called an "anti-Trump protest," which, for some people, it is. Some people are carrying signs calling out Trump. Some are boldly saying they don't support him, his ideas, or the fact that he's been given so much power. See, we get to do that, because of Freedom. We don't have to like the President. We don't have to agree with him. We can say it out loud without fear of punishment or retaliation. Because this is America.
Trump is not the only reason we are marching, however. We are marching for equal pay. We are marching for protection of our bodies from lawmakers. We are marching to support each other. We are marching for minorities. We are marching for LGBTQ rights. We are marching for immigrants and refugees. We are marching for children. We are marching for longer maternity leave. We are marching for better health care options. We are marching so our daughters can see that they have a voice and their voices have power and that they are important. We are marching because we can, because we want to. We are marching to be seen, to be heard, to be real. Every woman that is marching right now has a reason to march, and a damn good reason.
The second confusion is there seems to be a gray area when it comes to marching v. protesting v. vandalism. I understand that people were smashing windows, burning things, and becoming violent. This is vandalism, and it is stupid. This is not who we are. There are not groups of women right now burning down capital hill. We're not tipping over police cruisers or burning flags. This behavior does nothing for our cause and only pushes us further back.
Some people are protesting Trump, inequalities, or policies. Other people are just marching. One step in front of the other. Some are shouting, some are singing. Most of them are laughing and smiling and having a grand old time feeling powerful among fellow females and supporters. These are the pictures and videos that are coming out of the marches. This is the evidence coming from those that are there.
This is a beautiful day. I am proud to be a woman today. One day, I will talk about this day with my daughters. I will show them pictures. I will tell them what happened and why. Hopefully, I can tell them about changes that were made because of our actions, our determination, our refusal to be quiet, to sit down.
One of the pictures I've seen multiple times today is an old woman holding a sign that says "I can't believe I still have to protest this shit." I do. And I hope we never stop. I hope we never stop seeing, thinking, hearing, speaking, or marching.
Also, to any of my followers/friends on Facebook, I'm about to saturate your timeline with photos of the marches. You're welcome.
Oh - and if you're wondering where the title to this post comes from, check here. It's a song written my Poet Laureate Bob Dylan.
"And my road it might be rough,
But the better roads are waiting
And boys it ain't far off."
#womensmarch #strongertogether
This is a fact. The only fact that really matters, actually.
It doesn't matter how many people attended the inauguration. It doesn't matter who performed or which celebrities attended. Last I checked, thanks to the electoral college, this wasn't a popularity contest.
I stayed away from social media yesterday for the most part. I didn't watch the inauguration. No, it wasn't in protest or because I'm still whining over who was elected. I didn't have time. Not that I needed to stop what I was doing and tune in. It was covered over and over and over and over and over from all points of views on social media. And anyway, thanks to my high school American Government class, I get the gist of what happened.
Today, however, is a different story.
Today on Facebook, for example, people are going about their daily business. Birthday wishes. Fun recipes to try. Funny cat videos. Inspirational quotes. Like nothing is happening today. Just another day.
Nope. It's not.
Today, women are marching all over this great country of ours. We are marching, wearing pink, carrying signs. Demanding to be heard, to be seen, to be real.
And yet, this important movement gets crickets.
From the few posts I have seen, there seems to be some confusion about what is actually going on. Luckily, I have a brain and can clear a few things up for those that care (p.s. we should all care).
My first disclaimer is that I am not at any actual marches. I am watching this all from home. If that discredits me, feel free to stop reading. However, last time I checked, I still had a pair of badass ovaries that grant me the title of "woman." I, too, want to be seen, heard, and be real.
My second disclaimer is that I have not read any news sources on the marches. I have seen pictures posted on Instagram from those that are there. What you are about to read is entirely my own opinion. I generally don't trust the media, even if it's about a cause I fully support, such as Women's Rights.
The first confusion people have is they don't understand why we're marching. I have seen it called an "anti-Trump protest," which, for some people, it is. Some people are carrying signs calling out Trump. Some are boldly saying they don't support him, his ideas, or the fact that he's been given so much power. See, we get to do that, because of Freedom. We don't have to like the President. We don't have to agree with him. We can say it out loud without fear of punishment or retaliation. Because this is America.
Trump is not the only reason we are marching, however. We are marching for equal pay. We are marching for protection of our bodies from lawmakers. We are marching to support each other. We are marching for minorities. We are marching for LGBTQ rights. We are marching for immigrants and refugees. We are marching for children. We are marching for longer maternity leave. We are marching for better health care options. We are marching so our daughters can see that they have a voice and their voices have power and that they are important. We are marching because we can, because we want to. We are marching to be seen, to be heard, to be real. Every woman that is marching right now has a reason to march, and a damn good reason.
The second confusion is there seems to be a gray area when it comes to marching v. protesting v. vandalism. I understand that people were smashing windows, burning things, and becoming violent. This is vandalism, and it is stupid. This is not who we are. There are not groups of women right now burning down capital hill. We're not tipping over police cruisers or burning flags. This behavior does nothing for our cause and only pushes us further back.
Some people are protesting Trump, inequalities, or policies. Other people are just marching. One step in front of the other. Some are shouting, some are singing. Most of them are laughing and smiling and having a grand old time feeling powerful among fellow females and supporters. These are the pictures and videos that are coming out of the marches. This is the evidence coming from those that are there.
This is a beautiful day. I am proud to be a woman today. One day, I will talk about this day with my daughters. I will show them pictures. I will tell them what happened and why. Hopefully, I can tell them about changes that were made because of our actions, our determination, our refusal to be quiet, to sit down.
One of the pictures I've seen multiple times today is an old woman holding a sign that says "I can't believe I still have to protest this shit." I do. And I hope we never stop. I hope we never stop seeing, thinking, hearing, speaking, or marching.
Also, to any of my followers/friends on Facebook, I'm about to saturate your timeline with photos of the marches. You're welcome.
Oh - and if you're wondering where the title to this post comes from, check here. It's a song written my Poet Laureate Bob Dylan.
"And my road it might be rough,
But the better roads are waiting
And boys it ain't far off."
#womensmarch #strongertogether
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