Yes, I went to the Womxn's March in Seattle. No, I did not chant or display a creative sign. In fact, all I did was walk (and participate in the occasional sound wave that rolled by). Let me dispel one comment I kept reading over and over about the marches all around the country that happened on 1/21: Did I vote? Why yes, I did. Did I vote for Hilary? *gasp* I did not. I also did not vote for Trump (which was probably obvious). Unlike so many others who didn't want to vote for either candidate so they didn't vote, I wanted to exercise my right to.
So why did I march? Yet another snide comment on posts was the fact that women already have equal rights so we're just wasting our time. They also think we're whining liberals and just complaining that Trump won. Neither one of these assumptions are true (at least for me).
I can't say much about the wage gap as I work in a merit and experienced based-pay company. I don't know if it's true or not and would probably be nearly impossible to prove due to everyone having different educational and life experiences for the jobs they are applying for. BUT.
The number one hot bed ticket item is reproductive rights and our right to choose. And this has little to do with Trump (yet), because it started after those videos went viral about Planned Parenthood selling off aborted baby parts. Republicans decided to defund Planned Parenthood, despite the allegations that they were profiting off the practice being false. However, abortions were never funded by the Government in the first place, so what they're actually defunding is pap smears and breast exams and STD screenings etc.
And the reason I care so much is because I currently work at a Catholic institution. It's large enough to offer their own insurance, but they choose to force their beliefs onto their employees, so if you are covered by their insurance, they will not help pay for abortions or any kind of birth control, period. (Thanks to the ACA, I was able to get an IUD placed for free, which would have cost me $700-$1,200 out of pocket since my ins won't cover it). So where does that leave me in this case? Planned Parenthood. Right now our ability to choose is up in the air. They could take it away at any moment. They don't have to make abortions illegal in order to make it happen. There are several undercut ways to take those rights away, like defunding the very places that offer the service.
Can you see it? The line of people stretches all the way to to the end.
The comment that disturbed me the most was "3 miles of crybabies". Yes, at one point there were enough people in this march to stretch all the way from Judkins Park (where it started) to Westlake Center (where it ended). Estimates say there were about 175,000 participants. But we weren't the only city that marched.
Not only in cities around the state. Not only in cities around the country, but cities around the world marched in solidarity with us. Between 1 million and 5 million people - and not all of them women - marched. I am proud to be a part of history, even if it changes nothing. I am proud that we kept the mood light and jovial, and that no one damaged property or got arrested. We smiled, we laughed, we had fun, believe it or not. And I got a good workout ta boot.
I was marching to remind the current administration that we matter. I was not necessarily going in order to oppose Donald Trump. I'm not whining about it. I know it's happened and we can't make it un-happen. I'm not an idiot. I'm kind of an independent when it comes to my political views; there are things on each side of the fence that I like and dislike. There are some things about Trump that I agree with. I am not a whining liberal. I just want to make sure that we keep the power in our court - and this can stand for any race or sex. We are in charge, not them.
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