This #WCW goes out to all the women who are brave enough to take a stand for what they believe in. The fight for equality is not over and VALLEY stands with all of you … may your voices be heard and may your words resonate with the world.
“We are linked. We are not ranked. And this is a day that will change us forever because we are together …We’re staying together. And we’re taking over,” a statement defining the purpose of marching and a statement proudly made by Gloria Steinem, an American journalist and feminist, while fighting for equality. Equality—a basic human right many women wrongfully lack, but one that both women and men are continuously fighting for.
The Purpose of the March
Jan. 20, 2018 marked the official day women and men of all backgrounds unitedly took the streets by storm to fight for equality during the 2018 Women’s March. Streets in New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia all flooded with signs and rally cries. The demand for unity continued to travel across the country into cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Young children to influential figures such as Halsey, Viola Davis, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson all came together as one force to rightfully exercise their freedom of speech. Feminists, men and women alike, will unite and will not stop until change has swept the nation of what is supposed to be the land of the free.
Coast To Coast
From L.A. to N.Y., the need for change was made clear. Despite the seemingly endless stack of assignments due, change was heard loud and clear from those currently residing in college dorm rooms. “These marches went on around the country and brought huge crowds and that in itself is a message to the government that women and men across all generations and backgrounds will come together to fight any unjust policies,” says Andrea Marin, a student from the University of Southern California.
From the opposite coast, but with the same mentality, Brianna Dirnbeck, from Temple University, says, “Being around so many other men and women who see the issues in today’s society was relieving. Knowing that there are other people with accepting mindsets was especially exciting.”
Why Now?
The Women’s March is a direct message of resistance to the current administration that has consistently threatened the fundamental right of equality.
The slogan of the 2018 Women’s March, “Power to the Polls,” is an effort to address voter registration and voter suppression at the polls. Organizations such as Planned Parenthood and campaigns like #MeToo took to the streets to defend their purpose of supporting women.
Supporting the Women’s March is more than making a sign and marching. It’s marching with others to send the message that equality is needed and change is wanted. With the current administration, the basic human right of equality seems harder to achieve. The land of the free is placing unwanted and unneeded restraints on those who identify themselves as women. How is it that we call ourselves citizens of a country who hold freedom above all else, yet more than half the population of the nation still struggles for equality?
The rally for change has been heard throughout decades of women fighting for their rights, and now more than ever, our voices need to be heard and equality needs to be served.
Tag us in all your Women’s March photos on Instagram @VALLEYmag.
Graphic by Ben Pietrusinski
