I didn’t go to the March on Washington today, and my reasons were purely selfish. The idea of getting on the Metro with the tens of thousands--hundreds of thousands of women--who were also heading into the Mall made me feel claustrophobic and sick and antsy just thinking about it. But I was going to swallow all that when my sister-in-law was going to come down and go with me, though when her family suffered a loss, I didn’t seek out anyone else. And I knew, even before I saw the photos from today, there were other people I could’ve gone in with--I told you, it was selfish that I didn’t go.
It wasn’t that I didn’t agree with the platform that these women were, are, supporting. I agree with probably about 95% of what they were marching to bring awareness to, the rights they were looking to defend. (And let me tell you, I’ve come to realize in the last almost six years of living here--if you agree with even 55% of the message someone in this town is pushing, you should grab on with both hands and refuse to let go.)
It made me feel like a lousy feminist that I didn’t go downtown today. Sisters, I am with you. I am so proud of how many women stormed our nation’s capital today and refused to be silenced, refused to be ignored, refused to be marginalized. I am overwhelmed, because I know that for every woman that walked today, there are probably two or three (or many more) women behind them, supporting them and cheering them on, just like me.
Here is what I know. We have put a man into a position of incredible power who has said things which minimize violence, struggles, and assaults against women.
He has offered up blanket statements about whole groups of people which are not accurate, educated, or reasonable.
He has made insinuations which lead me to believe he doesn’t understand sexual assault--neither the definition nor the all to frequent reality for too many women across the country.
So, today across the world, women raised their voices.
I did not march today, but I am raising mine now.
A few days ago, I was talking to some teenage boys who, for whatever reason, have made me their person at school. They are often misunderstood, often get frustrated, and come from difficult countries, difficult homes. And they have been rude lately to an adult at work who has been making very legitimate requests of them.
In the middle of the week, I kept telling them, they had to be polite to this particular woman. “Why?” one of them asked me.
“Because she’s a person,” I said, exasperated. It wasn’t a cop out. It was what I truly believe. It is yet another thing I know--that simply being a person demands dignity, and a degree of politeness and respect.
It is totally unnecessary to like everyone. To be friends with everyone. To agree with everyone. Jesus, protect us from blindly agreeing with anyone simply to keep the peace.
That is what I know. I also know a few other things, though you might call them beliefs. I know that God was not surprised by what happened in November. I know that He has not turned His back on us. And I know that in the midst of darkness, of confusion, of chaos, He call us to turn to the light of love.
He calls us to love our sisters and brothers. To distinguish ourselves by our ability to love others.
To realize that people, even when they’re the modern day equivalent of lepers or tax collectors, deserve not only a meal, but a place with the King.
We move out of what I know, though I don’t lose a lot of confidence in my guesses.
I can guess that today will not be my only opportunity over the next four years to speak out for rights, dignity, and strength of people who have been demeaned.
I can guess that loving each other, showing support for one another, and banding together as people who stand for humanity--in all sort of different ways--will be the only thing that keeps us together.
Today offered proof of something I’ve known for quite some time. It’s something most of the world will freely admit after seeing the show of strength and unity we put on. I do not know, cannot guess, can only hope about how our new President will see it. Let him admit--even if only to himself, in the secret places of his heart--what we know to be true: Females Are Strong as Hell.
