Since the Women's March in D.C., I've seen so many women post something along the lines of, "If you're a woman and don't support the Women's March, that's okay. I was marching for you." No, you weren't.
I am a woman, but, if I had attended this march with posters covered in catchy phrases that supported my political and moral beliefs, I would not have been accepted by my fellow women at this march. This march wasn't for the equality of "women." It was for women who have the same beliefs and political opinions as each other. I could have easily come with a big poster displaying the words, "Unborn lives matter." Despite the fact that I am a woman who would have been walking to have my beliefs as a woman heard, I would have been ridiculed. I would have been told that I am a disgrace to women.
If I had gone and revealed the fact that I voted for Trump, suddenly my opinions as a woman wouldn't seem so equal to the women marching beside me. It wasn't about equality. It was about marching for people who think the same as the women who attended. Well, I'm sorry, but that isn't me.
Now I'm not saying I want to let go of all of my rights as a woman. I don't want to go back to being a housewife and not having the right to vote. I am a feminist, believe it or not. I believe that men and women should be treated equal on all accounts. For me, this includes men and women not yet born. I am pro-choice, but not pro-abortion. I'm all for choosing what to do with your own body, but that choice, in my opinion, does not include ending the life of another simply because that life is inside of you for 9 months. I believe in equality of all.
I don't believe in the fem-Nazi movement that suggests women should not only be equal, but they should be superior. Feminism means in addition to not instead of. I'm not saying this is the message the march was trying to convey. I'm just saying that the beliefs I hold wouldn't have been respected at the march, because my beliefs aren't viewed as "correct" to the women who attended, despite the fact that I am a woman and its purpose was to give voice to women.
So no, you were not marching for me. You were marching for the beliefs you feel are important, which is great. More power to you. I don't agree with all of those beliefs, so you weren't marching to represent me. And I wouldn't want you to.
