January 20th 2018 women, men, and children of all ages gathered in cities all over the country to commemorate the one year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration into office. People gathered by the thousands to protest sexual assualt and gender inequality in the U.S. However, the women’s march is non-inclusive to many women, white-washed, and exploitative of real activism.

It came as a shock to me when I saw online videos of white women at the protests celebrating and dancing with smiles on their faces as they posed for pictures to post on their social media to humble brag over. This is called performative activism, which is an act that makes show of a person supporting or being against a movement and/or action. These women come out of their shells once a year to protest issues such as equal pay, sexual harassment, and reproductive rights. This form of feminism, aptly called “white feminism,” is a form of feminism that focuses on the struggles of white women while failing to address distinct forms of oppression faced by women of color and women lacking other privileges.

Many people at the protest over this weekend are unawarely white feminist and by this are upholding the white supremacy that exists in the United States today. These people are choosing to be a part of the feminist movement which was built upon the backs of women of color for years now. Many of these white women were absent from protests throughout the last year in regards to other intersectional feminist movements such as the DACA repeal, the repeal on TPS, and many others.

To get out of this white outlook on feminism, firstly, these protesters should make their feminism inclusive to trans women by acknowledging that not all women have vaginas. Secondly, they must understand that issues like sexual harassment and the wage gap are even worse for women of color. It’s not feminism unless it’s intersectional.

Click here to access other articles in Volume 3, Issue 5 of The Roaring Gazette.