https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/us/womens-march.html
Today, millions of people marched all over the world for women's rights. Women were urged to run for office, and protesters were collectively urged to go to the polls and turn the tide in the favor of Democrats for the upcoming midterm elections with the chant, "Power to the Polls". Trump commented on Twitter, saying it was "a perfect day for all Women to March", and to "celebrate the... unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months." Protester turnouts were different than last year, with some women staying home because of the lack of focus on including other marginalized groups. This protest centered primarily around the #MeToo movement and the protesting of Trump.
This article was written by several reporters from the New York Times earlier today. I was aware of the Women's March going on today, but I didn't realize women all over the world were participating as well. Reading this article also opened my eyes to the exclusion of other groups of women who needed recognition at this event. One women commented that the march was mostly for middle-class, straight, white women. I doubt this is objectively true for all the marches, but it saddens me to think that people were denied a day to feel empowered and accepted with other women.
Trump's comment started out nice and sincere, though hypocritical, but unfortunately went on to subtly claim he was the reason that female unemployment rates were at a new low and the economic successes of women this year were his doing. It would seem you can't have a Trump comment without some sort of egotistical and self praising remark.
Overall, I'm pleased that people of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, and genders turned out for this event today. I was unfortunately unable to go, but I hope I'll be able to next year.
The events of this article can be synthesized to the reform women of the Gilded Age, who fought for women's rights, prohibition, and fairer wages. The two are also similar in the way that many reforming women were upper-class white women, and some marches were allegedly more focused on that same demographic.
It's amazing that not only nationally but globally men and women were allowed to unite and fight for the cause against sexual assault, gender inequality and wage gap.
ReplyDeleteI agree^ people have a freedom of “speech” or in this case a march to express their opinion. It’s important for everyone to know that they have a voice to make change.
ReplyDeleteIt's so good that women and men can gather all around the world on one day to recognize the unfairness that has been going on for hundreds of years.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comments above, as I believe this march was such an empowering movement amongst our country.
ReplyDeleteI think it's really cool how so many people can come together and fight for the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that so many people from all over the world were able to unite in protest considering the wildly differing success of women's rights movements even across country lines; for example, women marched in both Italy, where the #MeToo movement faces pervasive, institutionalized opposition, and the US, where #MeToo started and has begun to really take off (I hope).
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