WIP Weekend: Forward, March!
Hello, yes, it is Tuesday and not the weekend! But it’s taken me this long to marvel at all the incredible creations assembled for the Women’s March on Saturday, to say nothing of all the other protests, marches, actions, and other events that have been happening of late. And of course, your friendly neighborhood Labbers participated.
Representing those nasty, nasty “coastal elite” cities, Amy and Brian marched in Los Angeles and New York, respectively.
Is Chicago one of those “coastal elite” cities? It’s on a coast… I guess I’m confused. Anyway, there’s lots of Labbers here.
Further downstate in Illinois, amid the cornfields, Champaign-Urbana marched.
Pretty sure Wisconsin is rather red. But on Saturday, it was pink AF.
Meanwhile, in Topeka (near the literal center of the continental US), Chris watched as women lined up to have their photos taken in front of a monument to the Pioneer Women of Kansas.
In Seattle, my mom’s request to “march for me” was also upheld by my sister.
This is Nashville, TN. This is *not* a movement of coastal elites, just in case you missed the memo. #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/ktBau1IdYe
— A Woman Has No Party 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@Killingcrawdads) January 21, 2017
You know something's up when there's even a #WomensMarch in Lubbock TX, the 2nd most conservative city in the US. During a dust storm. pic.twitter.com/pgq1zluN8Z
— Prof. Katharine Hayhoe (@KHayhoe) January 21, 2017
Plus, people flew in from all over to march in D.C.
These pics from planes packed with people headed to the #WomensMarch are such an incredibly powerful statement. pic.twitter.com/uFvy7iupbJ
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) January 20, 2017
Internationally, the Women’s March had incredible support as well. There were sister marches listed in literally hundreds o cities, on all seven continents. Yes, including Antarctica. (Penguins for Peace!) Whether formally listed on the Women’s March website or an impromptu gathering, marches formed worldwide in support of the (apparently) radical idea that women are people too.
How it should be. pic.twitter.com/Er23921t2I
— Margaret Nelson (@Flashmaggie) January 22, 2017
In the tiny village of Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia, 23% of the city’s population participated in their march. (15 of the village’s 65 permanent residents.)
So hold on to hope! Canada still loves us.
The best sign we saw at the #WomensMarch Toronto. pic.twitter.com/bZL8VPqShG
— Kelly Robson (she/her) (@kellyoyo) January 21, 2017
So do other countries… and their famous actors.
Met Peter Capaldi at #womensmarchlondon. He said he liked my sign. No biggie. 🙉 pic.twitter.com/7kcy1EDblN
— kitty justice (@thehmmmingbird) January 21, 2017
Even the ones that don’t all speak English.
~~international version~~
Paris.
Rome.
Amsterdam.
London. #WomensMarch #TheMarchContinues pic.twitter.com/zMjDfIz2uM— Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) January 21, 2017
Also: I believe the children are our future. They have OPINIONS, y’all.
The babies were pressing the important issues #WomensMarch https://t.co/UiDNgWYZjw
— ⬛🏴Harriet Thugman⬛🏴 (@elsajustelsa) January 22, 2017
On the other end of things, older folks are still marching.
Okay this is a note posted at my grandma's retirement community, apparently 50 people came and her 101 y/o friend marched too, I'm melting pic.twitter.com/Ah50oFlsL6
— Max Fox (@mxwfx) January 22, 2017
Even cancer patients marched in hospital corridors.
Now as often happens with any event of this size and reach, we got some stuff wrong. Posters focusing on vaginas and Pink Pussy Hats excluded trans women. White women crowing praise for well-behaved cops utterly missed the point about why that might be. Accommodations for people with disabilities were overlooked at some events and inadequately handled at others. Hell, even the original name of the march was appropriative of the work originally done by others.
.@MsPeoples didn't come to the #WomensMarch to play & has a reminder for the American people: https://t.co/WXa562sWar pic.twitter.com/PvDwEk0SJH
— The Root (@TheRoot) January 23, 2017
It took a lot of courage to be a woman and trans yesterday at the #WomensMarch. #Feminism can do better. #transgender pic.twitter.com/KMxQnxvES8
— Sophie draws comics (@AssignedMale) January 22, 2017
if your feminism doesnt include queer, black, poor, disabled, trans and muslim women, its not feminism. #womensmarch pic.twitter.com/BJJYvih7pD
—  (@ravenclvws) January 22, 2017
White ladies in particular, please read this whole thread:
1. This stat prompted me to make this sign for today's Women's March in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/nPT4pkAgti
— • roopa • (@RadRoopa) January 21, 2017
Or if you prefer, hear it from a fellow white lady:
So, I attended the #WomensMarch yesterday with this sign and I have a few thoughts. pic.twitter.com/KOJfnWjxZU
— Go see Everything Everywhere All at Once. (@mstharrington) January 22, 2017
But this is well worth improving; we can do better. We can KEEP doing better. We can show up. We can do the work. We can own up to our flaws and adapt. We can teach others to do the same. Again and again, for as long as there are new people showing up and new lives to defend.
And we will.
That’s precisely why this is a Work In Progress. Because all of us who marched, planned, made signs, called in favors, arranged rides, offered couches, or simply wished each other well… we are still working. We will keep going, keep learning, keep doing better. Can’t stop, won’t stop. We are fired up! Ready to go! We’ll keep marching, keep making signs, keep making history.
https://twitter.com/gIowposts/status/823332284610859010