The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Women in this country have been fighting for their basic human rights for more than 150 years, and though it may have appeared we won them decades ago, looks can be deceiving. There is still no law mandating equal pay for equal work. Legislation giving women control of their own reproductive rights is continuously chipped away at. Unlike every other developed nation in the world, the U.S. does not provide paid maternity leave, which undermines advancement in the workplace and job security.
On top of all that, every single day ordinary people turn a blind eye to blatant sexual harassment and sexual assault. This happens in every echelon of society.
March is Women’s History Month. Until the 1970s, the concept of a day or week or month to recognize the struggles and victories of women was unheard of. Years of dogged lobbying led to Congress finally declaring March as National Women’s History Month in 1987. But what is it worth when women’s rights and liberties continue to be stripped away?
Prepare for more demonstrations, more marches, rallies and strikes. Activism is a new part of daily life. If history has proven anything, it is that we are willing to do whatever it takes to earn equal status. And as cliché as it is to say, if you’re not with us, you are against us.
Every time you criticize the women who show up to fight for their rights, you are stomping on the graves of the women who came before you to fight for the life of privilege and comfort you’re currently living. The history books will note your apathy and your children will be ashamed of your complaisance. They will be the ones to carry on the fight, which, as is evident today, may go on forever.
