The women’s march in Washington D.C. on January 22, 2017 was the largest protest in American history.  It represented different things to every person. For some people it was anti-Trump, for others it was pro-liberty, and for others it was about feminism. To me it was about feminism.

Women all over the country, and the world, joined together in a historic protest to the oppressive patriarchy as well as the misogyny that runs rampant within it. It was a beautiful display of the human spirit and the power of women everywhere. The world was in solidarity demanding equality. This amazing portrayal of what democracy looks like warmed the hearts of many, and it spoke to the rebel spirit of Americans. People were not subtle in their accusations about President Trump and other civil rights issues. They held suggestive posters with powerful messages.

The negative influence of sexist ideologies reaches into every aspect of our lives. Sports, science, politics, leadership, etc. To be told you throw like a girl is an insult. There is a significant majority of men in the engineering world because girls are told they are not good at math.  

The United States has never had a female president.  Hence the “glass ceiling” in politics.  There are gap wages between men and women who perform the exact same task with the same quality. There are luxury taxes on tampons and pads, yet there is no luxury tax on viagra.  This blows my mind because feminine products, such as those mentioned, are necessary, and Viagra is obviously not.

This is not only important for women, but for all people. To be neutral in the face of oppression is to oppress. To be a feminist is simply to recognize the equality of the genders. There should be nothing revolutionary about that.