by Gabby Lewis, staff writer
As a result of the recent election of the forty-fifth president, many women across America feel like their rights are in danger because of misandry and sexism within the country that could possibly worsen due to policies the new president, Donald Trump, could enact. Instead of staying silent out of fear for what the next presidential term may bring, the Women’s March on Washington, which took place on January 21st at 10 A.M., was created as a grassroots effort instead to reaffirm that women’s rights are human rights and to combat gender inequality. This march was also meant to bring together people of all ages, ethnicities, sexualities, and genders.
The organization behind the March followed the principles of Kingian nonviolence, using them as guidelines to better shape their goal. The first principle states that nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people as it is a positive influence and requires people to use intellectual and emotional abilities to solve problems.
The second principle talks about the Beloved Community which is a framework for the future built off of living without violence, allowing people to connect more deeply with one another and making justice prevail more in the world without violence blocking its path.
The third principle says that people should attack only forces of evil, not people doing evil, because with these forces of evil eliminated, these people will stop performing evil, so the root of the problem should be fought because it can’t change unlike people.
The fourth principle asks for suffering to be accepted without retaliation as it not only is redemptive, but it helps the people grow in humanitarian and spiritual dimension. Finally, the fifth principle wants people to not only avoid physical violence but also internal violence. Internal violence can cloud the mind and judgement and further people away from the goal of equal human rights due to their private anger or frustration, so without this violence, people will be able to further the goal as well as be more at peace with themselves.
The March was led by a national committee consisting of five women who’ve all made their own impact on several of the controversial issues within America. The event is also is widely supported by over 150 organizations, some of which include the NAACP, MoveOn.org, Amnesty International, the Baltimore County Green Party, and the National Women’s History Project.
The March in Washington also inspired many sister marches both nationally and internationally. Over thirty states held their own marches, and several countries did the same, including Australia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan. These events were held independently of the organization and are organized by volunteers.
The Women’s March on Washington caused a ripple effect across the country, inspiring citizens everywhere to take a stand for what’s right and fight for equality of everyone in America whether they’re male or female regardless of race and sexuality and only based on integrity. Together, America can join together as one and work towards a nonviolent society that gives everyone an equal chance to inflict change on the world around them and beyond into the future.