How Women are Staying Nasty
Rallies every other day. Protests flooding the streets. And a March filled with madness — and not just the basketball kind. Not even 100 days into Donald Trump's presidency, the world is watching as the divide in the United States people and government deepens. His attacks spare no one: people from Mexico, the Middle East, who are black, disabled, female, journalists, and even people who literally just have a conscience. Trump's hateful rhetoric, unconstitutional policies, and shady administration are costly to the American ideal. And women are having none of it.
Image Credit: Mobulis in Mobili / Flickr via Creative Commons.
Rewind a few months to the start of the Trump presidency. Riding on a revival of feminism, women kicked off the Resist movement the day after Trump's inauguration with the historic Women's March on Washington. The world followed, and Women's Marches erupted over all seven continents — including in the City of Lights: Paris. While the March evoked all sorts of differing opinions and strong emotions, the Women's March became the spotlight of January, arguably overshadowing even the Presidential inauguration. Tabitha St. Bernard Jones, Youth Coordinator for the Women's March, explained why she, women, and everyone else should care: "I believe when you love something, you don't sit by and watch it self-destruct."
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Women in Hollywood are not staying quiet either. Some celebrities took their political and social views to the Marches on the streets, such as the Hadid sisters and Emma Watson. The most explosive voice came from superstar, superwoman Meryl Streep at the 2017 Golden Globes. She infamously slammed Trump without ever actually stating his name. Her speech sparked a conversation about the role of art in resisting this administration. She is just another example of a powerful, passionate woman using her voice to speak out and speak up.
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Fast forward to February. Perhaps the most covered instance of a woman resisting Trump's administration is the February (attempted) Congressional speech by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Sen. Warren was silenced by Senator Mitch McConnell during a Congressional hearing for Senator Jeff Session's nomination as Attorney General. Sen. Warren reading a letter from Coretta Scott King, which denounced Sen. Sessions's because of his deeply rooted racism against African-Americans. Sen. McConnell called for Sen. Warren's removal from the stand, and she was then barred from the remainder of the hearing. Sen. McConnell used Rule 19, which prohibits Senators from 'insulting one another' on the Floor. This rule is tricky and complex, making it rarely put into place. The public and other leaders were outraged: another example of a woman being told to shut up. The hashtag #LetLizSpeak flooded the Internet and Sen. Warren did, in fact, persist and eventually read the rest of King's letter outside of the Capitol.
Image Credit: Katie Angel.
In March, International Women's Day took place on March 8. This day celebrates the women's rights movement and commemorates the efforts of women who push for feminism — for equality. On this day, women from all over the world come together in action and in unity. This year, organizers called for "A Day Without Women." Women were encouraged to take the day off work and participate in a labor strike. In Paris, there was a grève at the iconic Place de la République. I went and participated firsthand, having been inspired from January's Women's March. Visions and voices of women were abundant, and thousands of women, men, and children flooded the plaza. They gathered in solidarity, in empowerment, in commemoration. One woman present stood confidently on the statue's base, looking out onto the crowd, with wise eyes and a firm presence. Penelope is her name, and she is pictured at the top of this article. A British schoolteacher here in Paris, she confided, "We've been doing this for a long time, and I'm not stopping. We always must continue the fight."
Image Credit: Katie Angel.
Women have been awakened since the birth of the Trump presidency. There are more women considering running for office now than ever. New York's bull statue on Wall Street now stands face-to-face with the "Fearless Girl". And even conservatives, such as the infamous commentator Tomi Lahren, are speaking out against some Republican viewpoints, such as pro-life v. pro-choice. You, too, can make a difference. Here's how:
- Stay engaged with what's going on. You can sign up for concise, daily Morning Briefings from the New York Times here.
- Stay passionate. Don't forget why speaking up against Trump's presidency matters. Our voices matter, and don't let yours be silenced.
- Stay nasty. Fight for the world: our generation and future generations. As Hillary Clinton said during her concession speech in November, "...Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams." Don't let Trump ruin the future of girls -- of children -- in America or in the world.
