Why, As A Woman, I Didn’t Need to March

            Marching with your fellow supporters might feel like a good thing to do and that is okay, but it is a one day event. Out of the millions of marchers, how many are doing something once a week to support their cause? It seems like it is mostly all talk and no action except for the one March that leaves thousands of dollars in waste to be picked up. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that you shouldn’t march for a cause, I’m saying maybe we could do other things instead of or along with marching.

            I was raised to leave a place better than you found it. That alone would have made a huge difference on the way non-marchers viewed the Woman’s March.  It is like the “Occupy Wall Street” events. Nothing much was accomplished other than causing our tax dollar to be spent on clean up. Sure, the protesters had fun, they didn’t have to work or go to school, and they could sit and sing Kumbaya all day if they wanted.  But the least they should have done is clean up after themselves.  If you want your rights, you have to be willing to let others have theirs without making them feel less a person for their choice.

            If you want to see women’s rights taken care of then go do something like work in a woman's shelter or with the courts. Women caught in domestic violence situations often get re-victimized by police and courts, and it is not necessarily intentionally. Become an advocate for the abused woman and learn how to help them get out of those relationships. Help educate and teach job skills to lower income women who feel stuck and want out but don’t know how. Can you imagine if all those people who marched went home and made a difference by reaching out to help one woman instead of just marching? Thousands would truly be affected. Think of all that money spent in travel, posters, and hats that could have been donated to a local women's shelter. 

            I didn’t feel the need to march because I am trying to do something. It might not be much but it is something. My cousin and I run a Facebook page called “Healing For Women.” We try to make daily posts that can lift and educate women on abuse, narcissistic behavior, depression, suicide prevention, PTSD and other issues. I have watched my cousin Shareene use her personal experiences to get a woman to a safe house and away from her abuser.  I have cried with several of these women as they in confidence tell us how something we posted changed their lives.

The best way to empower women is to build each other up. Lets help each other feel validated by acknowledging our unique differences instead of tearing down our confidence with petty mean comments and cat fights. Value each woman and not just the ones that think the same as you. Teach the young girls within your influence to not compare themselves with others. Teach them to be kind and respectful. Teach them they look perfect just the way they are. Teach them to be inclusive. Teach them they can be happy right now and not when they reach some goal or they will always be chasing happiness.  And of course, teach them to smile. A smile can melt the angry heart, cheer the downtrodden, and help heal a broken heart.  Yelling in the streets that you are right and everyone else that believes differently is wrong doesn't do much to build and bring us unity as women. 

(I want to clarify that I had many good friends march, clean up, and not make others feel less of a woman for believing differently, unfortunately the media doesn't find them as news worthy)