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.
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