I won't hesitate to admit I was a little late to the party on the fight for women's justice that has become one of the most prevalent sociopolitical issues of the last two years.

But I did arrive, and I was inspired to publicly join in the conversation after attending the first anniversary of the Women's March in San Diego, California. This was my first experience with engaging in public protest, and I'll say that participating, observing, and exploring viewpoints surrounding the march have led me to some conclusions.

Last Saturday, I was proud to be walking with and listening to speeches by women standing up for women. I took notice of all the fathers, boyfriends, and brothers in attendance, my own brother walking next to me with his daughter on his shoulders. Individuals protesting for environmental legislation and Mexican-American citizens protesting for DACA.

Voices conversing with one another. Footsteps falling in line together in the implementation of one of the oldest forms of nonviolent protest, setting examples for younger generations. I cried for my sister and for both of my nieces, wishing they were growing up in a much less oppressive world than the one I've experienced so far.

And then I wondered, why hasn't that oppression been lifted after all that's been done? Why are things still moving backward? Why do we still have to fight so hard?

I thought as the girl next to me holding a black sign with sparkly pink letters did, "I shouldn't have to march for this shit." Part of the problem is that many women are out of sync with each other on just what it means to be marching and what goals we are trying to achieve.

One woman says, "I would rather raise a family than a feminist protest sign" and the other response with "You raise your picket fence and I'll raise my protest sign."

Instead of finding a common ground, many of us are invalidating other women who ultimately want exactly what we want: the right to choose either way.

The premise behind feminism and why we fight to keep it alive is to solidify as a societal foundation the principle that women and men are fundamentally the same. On a deeper level, it is the notion that both are capable of performing the same jobs, holding the same ranks, raising families, making the same money and having the right to choose without governmental or psychological restrictions based on something as superficial as anatomy.

There is no reason why a woman who calls herself a feminist can't also call motherhood her only job or have traditional values. Conversely, there is no reason why a stay-at-home mom who cooks for her husband while he's making money can't also at least join in our conversation and recognize that it's harder right now for women to fulfill their dreams of being CEOs than it is to fall into the roles of being housewives.

The goal here is to ensure that no matter what position a woman is in that she is making the choice about what to do with her body and life rather than being diminished by someone who is making the choice for her. What women all over the nation are fighting for — in legislation, dedicating speeches to, wearing black for at awards ceremonies, and raising signs to send messages for — is each other.