Walking in downtown DC in my FFL Trump Women crewneck is intimidating. Walking in downtown DC wearing this during the morning of the Women’s march is terrifying. When I reflect on why this would be intimidating, it’s quite disheartening. As a woman, I should be able to wear any shirt I want, promoting prominent women in this Presidential Administration because women support women, right? This is the overarching theme of the Women’s Marches across the country. Yet, this notion only stands true if you fit a certain, narrow-minded mold of what the left believes is pro-women.
Almost 100 years ago, women stood together, defied the odds, and changed history by establishing the right to vote. This right is symbolic. It displays the mere notion that women can AND should be able to think for themselves, advocate for themselves, and do so in a public, political way. Yet, it is absolutely terrifying that 100 years later, I, as a woman in 2019 am being told who I should vote for and what principles I should believe in. It’s a disgrace to the women that fought so hard so long ago for these rights. In fact, it’s a disgrace to my intelligence and my ability to be a free-thinker. Most of all, it is a disgrace to women all across this country and the women of other countries who aren’t blessed with these rights.
I was honored to attend the Independent Women’s Forum “March for All Women.” This event was a block away from the Women’s March. The March For All Women promotes all women, regardless of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. I heard from many uplifting, encouraging, empowering girl bosses, including the founder of Future Female Leaders, Amanda. These women do not fit the mold of the so called “Wonen’s March.” In fact, they feel excluded from a march that crusades in the name of feminism.
Immediately upon arriving at IWF’s event, the atmosphere was drastically different. The ladies organizing the event had done so in only a few weeks. Each of them radiated positivity and grace. Walking next to ladies attending the Women’s March, the feeling of anger and resentment poisoned the atmosphere. The distinct difference in feelings between the two marches separated only by a single street is powerful and speaks volumes. We walked over to the Women’s March to observe what it was all about. Slowly, we started to weave through angry women, holding signs enraged in vulgarity, emphasis on women’s body parts, and pure hatred towards President Trump. My heart was beating out of my chest as I proudly displayed my Trump Women shirt. The vast majority of women I passed gave me looks of hatred and bitterness. It reaffirmed my fear that this Women’s March wasn’t really a Women’s March. It was a march of hatred for the President, hiding behind a name of women’s empowerment.
To all the ladies reading this: you are not alone. You are not alone in that feeling of uneasiness that you stand out because you don’t fit the mold of what the left portrays as pro-women. We are the victors, not the victims. We will not back down, we will continue to fight for true feminism, and we will not be shut down. As a woman of this generation, I refuse to be a victim, I refuse to be defeated before I even start, and I refuse to let my daughter be raised in a world where she cannot think for herself, advocate for her values, and stay true to herself.
Women’s March, you don’t stand for me. You don’t stand for my sister, my mother, my grandmother, or my future daughter. You don’t stand for many women across this country who don’t fit your mold of what women should believe in. Do better, be better, and teach better for the future women of this country.