By Ananya Bhardwaj
The 2018 Womens March was held on the anniversary of the 2017 Womens March, 21st January 2017, and was a reprise of the movement that had sparked global outrage by shedding light on various important issues. The Womens March was a worldwide protest in a bid to advocate reformative laws and policies concerning human rights and other fields.
Unifying for a common cause
Most of the statements made at these rallies are a direct outcry against Trump, who had made offensive comments, and implemented actions that are extremely offensive and largely gender-biased. The main event was organised at Washington, but the turnout at events outside the US was notably significant. Studies reflect that over 200 international Womens Marches were held with an estimated attendance of more than three lakhs.
Martin Luther King, Jr. explained in his letter from a Birmingham Jail: Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? … Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatise the issue that it can no longer be ignored. This serves as a response to those critics who stated that the March was nothing more than a cry for public attention and wouldnt serve any purpose.
Despite the vast numbers spilling on the streets as part of the March, there are some concerns regarding the effectiveness of the intent of the March. Granted, the thread that unifies most protestors is a common hatred for the policies and conduct of the American President. However, this hate doesnt imply a unified intent per se behind the protests.
Critics’ views
The March raised cries against several topics like immigration and healthcare reform, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights etc. Critics say that unlike previous marches in the history of civil rights, there was no concrete issue being dealt with at the Womens March, but instead saw a plethora of issues being addressed under the same umbrella. Even though extremely crucial issues are being brought to light, it is a glaring lack of diversity that is a cause for concern.
Most of the women in the protests were reportedly white and belonged to the middle class, with little to no representation of Latino and African-American women. True, there have been some developments regarding the wage gap and inequality toward women in general, but the fact remains that Latinos make only about 54 cents to every dollar that a white man makes.
This disparity remains as glaring as ever, and there isnt enough representation of the same. There have been some significant actions taken against the sexual predators in the film industry, but the women who are employed as housekeepers or janitors continue facing abuse without any major attention drawn their way. Racism continues to plague societies and communities with minimal respite from the same.
Paving the way forward
However, the situation isnt as dismal as the critics make it sound. The March in 2017 paved the way for several movements and protests where women refused to tolerate any further discrimination or abuse, and brought their predators to light. #MeToo was one of the most prolific occurrences of the year, and it was so momentous and gained such appreciation for the courageous women that TIME Magazine named the women as their Person of The Year, a decisive albeit quiet statement against the administration that preys on the quiet.
After the marches held last January in Washington, DC, and around the world, drew enormous crowds, and even angered the new president, the organisers of the Washington march stayed busy. Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, Carmen Perez, and Bob Bland, along with others, planned the convention in Detroit in October, where more than 4,000 people heard speakers such as #MeToo campaign founders participate in panels and training sessions on topics like running for office and confronting racism.
Participation and impact
Lawmakers who attended the Womens March have also tapped into the energy when they went back to their states. Teresa Fedor, chair of the Democratic womens caucus in the Ohio House of Representatives, was at the march in Washington last year with other Ohio women. Since then, shes been working on a bill to improve protections for people reporting sexual harassment in Ohio. For Fedor, the Womens March has helped change the way ordinary people talk about political action. Even two years ago, it wasnt cool to talk about politics or politicians, she said. Weve transitioned into the realization that we make the difference.
Former coach to the American Olympics gymnastics team, Dr Nessar, was sentenced to 175 years in prison by a judge for sexual assault and abuse that he meted out to the gymnasts under his care for more than 30 years. Powerful testimonies were declared against him, and he was held guilty.
Bringing together and bridging gaps
The radical possibility of the Womens March, the hope that hasn’t been squashed, is a broad alignment of straight, middle-class white women with all the people who were glad to stand beside them and march. This includes the black and queer and disabled women, the minimum-wage workers and undocumented immigrants, all the people whose rights to self-determination are constantly under threat.
The enthusiasm has been electrifying and brought together various women and men across the spectrum. One of the most significant calls to action within the march encouraged women to take more action on a regular basis, including donating to the right causes, calling Senators and representatives to sway them on key pieces of legislation, getting involved with local government, and even running for office themselves.
But it’s six months until the next Election Day, a year and a half until midterms, and almost four years until the next presidential election. If the movement sparked by the Women’s March and the broader “resistance movement” wants to change policy, that remains a long fight. And some activists say they only have enough energy to fight for the issues they care about.
In 2017, women voiced their outrage and caused ripples for the future to tend to. It now depends on 2018 to fully support the women whose voices still arent being heard.
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