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
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