On social media and on the news the biggest story of the past couple of days, besides the inauguration of a new president, has been the presence of women's marches across different cities all over the country and world. And while I have seen a lot of support for these marches and female solidarity, I have seen an equal amount of hate and confusion toward these acts. Largely, the complaints question why women are doing this, and what they expect to gain by protesting a president who by some measures has yet to actually implement policies that are detrimental to females. To those who oppose these marches: here's how to cope with what's going on in our country.
To those who don't understand why women are marching:
Feel free to check out https://www.womensmarch.com/mission: "The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us - immigrants of all statuses, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, survivors of sexual assault. The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us."
Specifically, for women they are there to show support for equal pay and female reproductive rights. Though this administration hasn't really enacted anything yet, it is expected that a Republican-dominated government will do things like defund planned parenthood and make it so insurance companies do not have to cover the costs of birth control. Through this march, women are trying to get ahead of these things and show they won't stand for having their reproductive rights challenged, and that it is their choice about how they choose to live their life, but that they should have access to certain things that they deem necessary.
To those who support defunding of Planned Parenthood:
Planned Parenthood provides many services other than abortion and birth control. They give access to cancer screening, prenatal care, access to free condoms, counseling and sex education, largely for people who can't afford it elsewhere.
To those who still believe that women don't need these services:
Abstinence is certainly the only sure way to prevent pregnancy and STD's, but it is also not a method the majority of people will abide by. Furthermore, they do provide sexual health counseling to people who might not have access to it otherwise, which includes the benefits of abstinence. Another thing to keep in mind is by letting the only other way to prevent pregnancy be condoms, you are taking the power and safety out of women's hands and putting it solely on men (hence why many women are out trying to protect the right to be in charge of their own bodies). Finally, birth control pills do a lot more than just prevent pregnancy. They are often used to help with the other side effects that come along with a woman's menstrual cycle, such as cramping, endometriosis, and acne. (And for anyone arguing that if it is used for these methods then they should change the name, please find something else to worry about).
To those who went to work, sat at home and lived a normal life during the women's marches but still complained about them:
I'm glad that these marches did not adversely affect you, feel free to change the channel or stay off social media to not be bothered by the sight of female solidarity.
Bonus section-
To those who fully support the marches and possibly attended one:
Good for you for standing up for what you believe in. Whether you are there because you believe in the right of women to have access to important reproductive healthcare or simply to show you do not support a president who has been shown to have a lack of respect for women, minorities, good for you. But what is important to keep in mind is to maintain a legitimate cause--you must keep it peaceful and ideally respectful. To hear Madonna say she "considered blowing up the White House" is certainly a step too far and casts a sour tone on the message women are trying to portray. Furthermore, it is important to understand that Trump will remain the president at least for the next four years. Keep an open mind and be willing to work with this new government towards what you desire. So when protesting keep it respectful, keep fighting, and be better than the man you oppose.
