In light of the President inauguration, hundreds of thousands of women took to the streets to march, voicing their opinions and taking a stance in what is being called the largest civil protest, globally.
Everywhere from Antarctica to here in Phoenix, women and allies marched for their rights, but the commotion of those boots on the ground have started quite a chatter.
Opponents to the “Women’s March” are on the rise, as a feminist I can’t quite understand those opinions.
To me it’s simple despite equality in more aspects of economic, and social sectors than the past 100 years, women are still unequal. Their gender is being used against them as a foundation for actions, and goals. In my own eyes, we are 50% of the population and we are not yet equal and that is why women marched.
Women marched, because they had been called out during the election, they had been talked about being “grabbed” and groped and they were standing up for their right to a safe country, and body that they have control over.
Still, I am curious and so I reached out to the nation, asking women who are traditionally more right-wing, pro-life, or Trump supported their views on the March.
I have learned from these views, and I hope you do too. Remember we all come from different backgrounds, experiences, and lives but I hope by reading the views of others we can realize in the end the goal is human decency and equality.
Here are their stories…
Not Pro Woman
“The Women’s March was not pro-women — it was pro-abortion and anti-Trump. One only needs to find the sponsors of the march to see that it was an incredibly left leaning event. Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and MoveOn.Org, to name a few, are sponsors. Many women do not view these organizations as “pro-women,” and it is disingenuous present themselves as such. If the march was pro-women, they would have protested sex trafficking of women and children, female genital mutilation, honor killings, and sex-selective abortions.”
– Rebecca San Diego, California.
Suppresses diversity of thought and opinion
“In the abstract I fully support the Women’s March- I believe that peaceful protest is the bedrock of democracy and Donald Trump is a wild card, it is our duty as Americans to participate in the political process and take responsibility for what happens in Washington D.C. We cannot continue to be politically apathetic.
My issue with the Women’s March is the same as my issue with the modern feminist movement; it actively suppresses diversity of thoughts and opinions. It is upsetting to see a march or a movement that claims to represent the interests of women as a whole and yet does not even allow a discussion on the issue of abortion. To me refusing to engage with opinions you disagree with is a vote of no confidence in the strength of your own opinion. A group cannot represent “women” without acknowledging the nearly 50% of women who are pro-life.
In my opinion, Compare the Women’s March to the March for Life that will be happening later this week. The March for Life says “we are pro-life, that is the issue we are marching on behalf of, anyone who is pro-life is welcome.” The Women’s March says “We are women, we march on behalf of women, pro-life women not invited”. The Women’s March seems to be lacking some truth in advertising. If feminist groups wanted to get together and have a “March for Choice” that would at least be honest, instead they have framed themselves as “women” so that anyone who disagrees with them, male or female, is anti-woman.”
-Stephanie Dallas Texas
Pro March, Anti Narrow Minded Agenda.
“I consider myself a very strong feminist-hell I even have the feminist logo sticker on my laptop (along with a gay pride sticker and a “make america gay again” parody hat on there as well) I love a bunch of women getting together and showing love and camaraderie with one another. The support is inspiring the amount of people (men and women) was inspiring, but I was personally disappointed with this Women’s March.
I felt, the March turned from being a powerful moment for women to gather together and express their feelings for change and the continuing fight for equality in society into a rampant fest of vulgarity and bashing. Plastering “pussy” across signs doesn’t help make your point, it makes you look vulgar. Using the inspiring women’s march to bash a newly elected president doesn’t make you a voice for change, it makes you miss the point of the March. I understand frustration with Trump, but turning the attention to an inspiring event full of women power into a bunch of women bashing Trump to me is not what the women’s march is about. I was hoping for an inspiring day of women getting together but instead what I got was vulgarity and disrespect.
Now as a result of the march you have the far right calling the women’s march just another example of crazy feminist liberals. Their voices weren’t heard on the other side because they were too busy turning their attention away from women and onto bashing a newly elected president. They turned their attention away from showing the issues (assault, pay, objectification, race, LGBTQIA+) into a form of vulgarity that the majority of the Christian dominated US is not going to respond to positively. They actively forced out pro-life groups, which whether you like it or not, these women are women and should be able to march and have their voices heard. How beautiful would it have been to have women from both sides of the contentious issue marching together and showing the civility that can come from women banding together and showing respect for one another? “love trumps hate” means nothing if you hate another person for having differing views than your own. The women’s march was a chance for women and men to get together from both sides of the aisle to show support for females, instead it played into the narrative of the left and excluded the right-which is exactly how Trump won.”
-Annie Salt Lake City, Utah.
*Some stories have been edited for continuity and grammar.
So, readers do I agree with all these views, no but I respect them. I recognize a member of society felt left out and that’s not the point of Feminism.
Truthfully Feminism is all about equality and if that mean’s representing all aspects of the spectrum from Pro-Life to Pro-Choice women then so be it, as long as all women and men understand that a person is not defined by their gender, sexuality, or race and all feminism means is looking at the social, political, and economic inequalities that happen on a daily basis through the lens of women, white women, black woman, gay women etc and working for change.
I would love to see more marches, and hear more women’s voices, speak up women it’s your chance to be heard and it’s your time to be validated!
Want to share your voice with us? Email our feminist writer Monica at monica@smartfem.com or on twitter @smartfemmagazin and @MonicaSampson_
