It was International Women’s Day this week, and despite the never-ending stream of bad news, it was heartening to see the day make such an impact in the US. It’s always struck me as a bit sad that IWD is a big deal across the world while only usually marked in America with a White House press release and a few articles compiling feminist quotes.
Maybe it’s Trump, maybe it’s feminism’s meteoric rise in cultural power - but this year was different. Women across the country went on strike against paid and unpaid labor, and women across the world marched against sexism. It was a rare moment of joy that couldn’t even be ruined by Trump tweeting out how much he respected women or the news that he promised not to defund Planned Parenthood so long as they stopped providing abortions.
Hopefully we can hold on to that optimism a little bit longer; we’re going to need it.
Glass Half Full
The kids are alright and will save us all. Proof: one fourth grade teacher found this note under a kid’s desk.
What I’m RTing
More than half of #immigrants ICE arrested in Austin, TX have no criminal records at all. https://t.co/n7V6HrsJoe
— SPLC (@splcenter) March 7, 2017
Other folks besides Jews died in Holocaust. HBCUs were a form of “school choice.” Slaves were immigrants.
— Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) March 7, 2017
I don’t think these are mistakes
Apparently the Statue of Liberty lights went out due to a power failure. But I would argue women are also protesting due to a power failure.
— Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) March 8, 2017
WOW. The #GOP’s reason to object to insurance covering prenatal care? “Why should men pay for it?” Watch: #Trumpcare #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/Q55nG1Un8j
— NARAL (@NARAL) March 9, 2017
Who I’m reading
This excellent but heartbreaking Fusion piece on activists fighting back against the rising maternal mortality rates for black women; anyone and everyone writing about the 20th anniversary of the cult hit TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and Amanda Hess on “How the Trolls Stole Washington”.
What I’m writing
There’s a disturbing trend of invoking the protection of women to pass racist policies – like Trump’s new executive order which will track gender-based crimes committed by foreign nationals. Feminists are overloaded with things to do at the moment, but let’s not let dangerous mandates be passed in our name.
How outraged I am
International Women’s Day has calmed my nerves a bit this week, reminding me that despite all the horror there really are so many of us ready to do the work necessary to create change. So I’m at a solidly reasonable 5 out of ten.
How I’m making it through this week
Again, little girls make everything better. And this week, it’s mine that’s giving me hope. (Especially the sun screaming, “women”.)
