I went to the Women’s March, here’s why.

I went to the Women’s March in DC this weekend.  Before you judge me or write this post off as a raging feminist bullshit story- hear me out. It wasn’t because I wanted to drive 14 hours within 36 hours in heavy fog on no sleep to whine, piss and moan with other women. If I wanted to whine piss and moan, I’d stay home, in my pj’s, drinking wine in my bed- being up for 48 hours straight was no vacation, SHOCKING I know. Do I think women that did’t support this event to be a “disgrace” or “unintelligent”? Absolutely not. Did I go because I feel like a second class citizen, or like I don’t have a voice? Absolutely not. Did I go so I could go yell “Down with the Patriarchy!”? Absolutely not. Did I go to yell “Not My President!” at the White House? ABSOLUTELY not. Did I go because I don’t respect President Trump? Absolutely not. Did I go because Donald Trump said “Grab ’em by the Pussy!” While that’s crude and offensive that wasn’t the reason I went. Well not the only reason.  While there are many that did go to the March for these reasons, I was not one of those people.

Great so now we know why you didn’t go, but why did you go?

I went BECAUSE I have a voice and if I use it, it’ll be heard.  I want President Trump to be successful because when he is a successful leader, we are a successful nation. I don’t agree with his politics or what he decides to tweet and I don’t apperciate his comments about women, the minority or the disabled- But I respect his presidency 100%. I went because within hours of this new administration the Republicans voted to repeal Healthcare for MILLIONS of Americans before they came up with a replacement. Did Obamacare have it’s flaws, absolutely- will millions of men, women and children loose vital healthcare because the representatives in our government didn’t think about the repercussions?  Yes they will and while I am not one of those people, a lot of those people are single women with children so I guess I went to support them. I went because women are underrepresented in government and this weekend I learned that a lot of women in government are not taken seriously by their male counterpart. Newly elected congress woman Kamala Harris said that often times woman in political offices are asked to weigh in on women’s rights issues and only women’s rights issues. Their opinions about public education, national security, veteran affairs etc are not valued as highly as their fellow men representatives.  I went because the Republican majority decided that the health care that Planed Parenthood provides millions of women should be defunded because abortions. While I can’t say I would ever want to have an abortion( can’t imagine any good willed woman would WANT one), I can’t and I won’t take that choice away from any woman. I went because Women’s Rights are Human Rights. I am not just a demographic, I am a person who deserves the same benefits, the same pay, the same opportunity as anyone else in the country. Women STILL make 80 cents to a mans dollar. I thought that was bad- but women of color and varied minority groups make 40 cents to a mans dollar. These are the same women that are often times single mothers that struggle to provide proper health care to their children. I went because I know we live in a country where women are for the most part valued and respected well- but we could do better for women, we could do better for minority groups.

Contrary to popular belief the Women’s March wasn’t to cause further division, it wasn’t meant to shame men and it wasn’t meant to compare the privileges provided to American women to those women in other countries. America is a superpower and the leader of the free world, a lot of our social and political movements affect the social and political movements and policies in countries worldwide.  We are a great nation, we have more work to do to create equality across the board but we want to create a great future for our sons and daughters.

If you read this and would like to discuss this please reach out to me, I will not respond to hateful and argumentative comments because hate does not drive out hate- love does. We don’t have to agree, but we do have to respect one another though.