January 21, 2017
On the first day of the new president's term, millions of women marched. We were a part of this worldwide movement. However, our experiences were different than most. We marched in Decorah, Iowa, home to Luther College. We marched with fellow students, with local children and with women with many more years of experience. While it would have been amazing to march in DC, St. Paul, or LA, we felt honored to be a part of something in our own community.
Decorah's march was small, with somewhere from 800 to 1,000 men and women marching in solidarity. There were many speakers, one of which was one of our floor members, Asha. They spoke of the power of women, how important our voices are and how essential it is to recognize our privilege. We carried signs that said "I'm with Her" with arrows pointing to all the women around us and "This Pussy Grabs Back". The Women's March, while triggered by this new president, was never really about him. It was a stand against those who would try to limit a woman's rights. It was a show of the strength of the women in the US and the world. These injustices could not and cannot be ignored. We used our voice to speak for those who couldn't.
As we marched down our small main street, chanting "This is what a feminist looks like," there were huge smiles across everyone's faces, the joy was undeniable. There were a lot of men there as well, from young boys to older men. They were there in support and it meant a lot to all of the women marching. Knowing that you have the support from someone who could never understand the situation is so valuable.
In the days leading up to the march, we had a few reservations. Decorah is a small town in Iowa. The district that this town belongs to went to a president that we did not support. We were scared of counter protesters and we were scared that the values we hold would not be represented. We were both nervous because of some of the controversy that surrounded this worldwide event. Questions of "are women of color allowed to march" came up. As two young, white females, we recognize that on the scale of oppression, whatever we might feel is nothing in comparison to women of color. We were nervous that we might become a part of a movement where some voices would not be heard.
Boy, did Decorah prove us wrong.
We marched in a crowd that was completely supportive of each other. Black Lives Matter signs were sprinkled about the march. Our friend Asha, a muslim woman, spoke to the crowd that gathered on the steps of our city hall. We stood all together, surrounded by incredible women of all colors, sexualities and gender affiliations, and listened to proclamations of hope for the future.
