On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. Hundreds of people showed up to witness this historic event. Thousands across the country tuned into their local news stations to watch. That day, and on Saturday, January 21, thousands of men and women marched across Washington, D.C., and in other metropolitan areas across the country, in protest of our new president.
I understand that a huge number of people who did not vote from President Trump are unhappy with the results of the election. I can even go so far as to say that I can understand why people are hesitant about how the next four years will play out. I can understand why people are upset over the things Trump as said. As a woman, I was appalled at a number of things he’s said. However, in retrospect, I’m more offended by the things other candidates actually did than the sexist things Trump has said. That being said, and although this may cause some dispute, I can’t help but ask, what exactly do these people hope to accomplish with these marches? Whether you voted for him or not, Donald Trump is officially the leader of the free world. I say, let’s stop protesting, marching, and fighting with the people in our lives who did vote for President Trump, and start seeing how the next four years will play out.
That being said, not all women chose to march in protest of the President and for women’s rights. Each person has their own personal reasons why they participated in these events, or why they opted out of them. A main issue with these protests is that the men and women who chose to participate claim that they are doing so on behalf of all women. Here is my problem with this: I did not ask anyone to do anything in my name. I am a “Do It Yourself” type of gal, so if I want something done or have something to say, I will find a way to get it done myself, or find a person or resource to help me get it done.
Please do not protest or march for me. Although American citizens have the right to peacefully assemble, that does not give you the right to do so in the name of people you have never met, let alone agree with the reasons you chose to assemble. Please do not claim to do anything in the name of someone who does not agree with you. Please know that the things you choose to do are not representative of all women, because not all women think like you. Not all women believe in concepts like “free bleeding” and wearing clothing items that look like genitals in protest of a president that enough Americans voted into office. It’s almost as if they’re going up against other women, so these marches aren’t as effective if they don’t respect another woman’s beliefs. Some of us agree with President Trump. Enough of us preferred him over other running candidates.
While protesting does have its benefits, it is not the only way to bring about change. It seems as if all these men and women who marched do not realize that. The best way to bring about change, in my opinion, is to put in the hard work it takes to get things done. If you don’t like the way things are, do something about it (other than making signs and walking around metropolitan areas across the Untied States). Work hard. Take care of yourself and your family. If you want to make more money, either talk to your employer about a raise, or learn the skills you need in order to earn more money. Come up with a solution, and contact someone in a position of authority who can help you bring the problem to attention, and put your solution into action.
Rather than getting thousands of people together to protest one time, it might be more effective if individual peoples made changes in their everyday lives. If every person who marched the weekend following President Trump’s inauguration did a few small things in their own communities to make small changes, that in itself can have a huge outcome across the country. Going straight to the Presidential Mansion such debatable issues on which not everyone agrees seems a bit too dogmatic.
In the grand scheme of things, we women do not have it nearly as bad as women in the U.S.once did. Things are by no means perfect, but women like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who made their mark on history when they started the American Equal Rights Association, and had an influence on laws regarding slavery and women’s right to vote, had major issues to fight for.
Don’t get me wrong – sometimes there is a time and place for protesting. It is, after all, a part of our right to free speech. But making a huge movement over your unhappiness of an election result is not so effective when enough people in the country voted the president in office. That is ultimately what it comes down to. Life is messy, and it is impossible to please everyone. Not everyone will be happy with who is involved in government positions. But claim to protest a fairly elected president “on behalf of all women” is much too bold a statement. Not all women agree with these marches, so please do not make political statements on behalf of those of us who do not feel oppressed.
