Women’s passion for equality and a true voice ravaged the country back in January. Even in our tiny, little corner of the world here in Oxford, women’s voices were finally heard … for one day.
However, the next week, it was if nothing happened and our rage was all for nothing.
This is because even in this day and age, women’s voices are not perceived. They may be heard in the moment, but rarely are they truly remembered.
To break this reasoning down, think of all the great civil rights leaders who are remembered today. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are the major ones that come to mind.
Sojourner Truth, famous poet responsible for “Ain’t I A Woman,” which challenged race’s role in the women’s rights movement, and Septima Poinsette Clark, who was often called the “queen mother” of the movement, are often overlooked.
Both are of the many women that were put on the back burner to men when it comes to accreditations in the movement.
Our words are easily forgotten compared to men’s, but is that the only reason our current fight for equality is not working?
A second nationwide protest was expected to bring major attention to the current movement for gender equality. The “Day Without a Woman” protest took place on March 6 and asked women around the country to skip work and refrain from spending money.
The point of the movement was to show the world what it would be like without the economic contribution of women.
Riding on the back of the success of the women’s marches, this protest was expected to be huge. However, the expectations became a sizzle instead of a spark.
It has been said that the lack of involvement in this movement is due to women’s denial of an equality problem.
This ideology is basically on the same level as the Women for Trump campaign leaders who said that Trump’s “locker room talk” did not make him sexist.
Understandably, this dwindle in support was related to the fact that most women are part of an economic backbone for their families. A woman who is a major player in her family’s financial stability could not just take a day off from work without suffering some sort of consequence.
Although one must agree that fighting for human rights should have constituted taking a personal day, as women we should remember that to take a stand against sexism we must unite, no matter what we may lose.
Mikala Turner is a sophomore social work major from Bruce.
