If you turn on any news station or open up any social media platform, it’s pretty hard to miss the Women’s March on Washington, happening today not just only in Washington but in several sister cities hosting spin-off marches — including cities as close to home as New York and Boston, and as far away as in countries including Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
It’s not entirely difficult to figure out the initial reason for the march. Throughout now President Trump’s entire campaign process, it came to pass that he made a series of distasteful, misogynist, upsetting….you get the picture, comments.
Trafalgar Square in London, photo courtesy of Lucy Sheriff (via Twitter: @sherifflucy)
But the March — while it is expected to be the largest inauguration-related demonstration in U.S. history — has become, for many, much more than just about protesting President Trump. In Nigeria, citizens are seizing the opportunity to protest a controversial gender equality bill. Marches in South America will demand action for violence against women.
According to its website, the mission of the Women’s March on Washington (and its sister Marches) is as follows:
“This 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 – and our communities are hurting and scared. We are confronted with the question of how to move forward in the face of national and international concern and fear.”
Of course, this mission is important –- not just for millennials, but for world citizens of all ages. A few quick facts:
- The March has been in planning since the date that the necessity for the march was realized by its organizers: November 9, 2016.
- The March Facebook event currently shows over 224,000 people expected to attend, and 250,000 replied as “Interested.”
- The March is attracting the attention of celebs – including the likes of Cher, Katy Perry, Evan Rachel Wood, Lady Gaga and Debra Messing.
- The March is expected to be home to the largest gathering of people with disabilities in U.S. history.
- The March’s list of partners is massive –- and includes the AFL-CIO, the ACLU, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the NAACP and of course the National Organization for Women (better known as NOW)…just to name a few.
- The March’s organizers have been highly organized in terms of both creating a platform as well as fundraising –- in fact, they’ve raised over $1 million as of January 13.
Photo courtesy of CNN (via Twitter: @CNN)
I’m proud to say that millennials –- women and men alike –- are very much enthusiastic about attending Marches. While I’m not able to attend a March myself, I swell with pride thinking about my fellow millennials raising their voices in favor of several causes that are near and dear to my heart –- including the dire need for equal pay for women, LGBT rights and, as some of my fellow women’s rights advocates like to say, “the radical notion that women are people.”
The true significance of the March…is that so many people can come together to show what truly makes America great.
My best wishes to all those attending Marches this weekend. Please be peaceful. Please be respectful. And please let the world know you’re not going anywhere. With your united voice, you will change the world.
Disclaimer: The political views presented in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Not Another Millennial Blog.
