What connected all of the marchers was a recognition that our collective progress as a society depends on everyone doing better. It's a 'no soldier left behind' ideal.
By Jasminka Kalajdzic
More than a million people marched this past weekend to mark the one year anniversary of the historic Women’s March that saw almost five million people demonstrate in 600 cities on all seven continents. Some critics say marchers had no idea what they were protesting, while others reduced our efforts to whining and complaining. As someone who marched in Washington, D.C. last year, and in Windsor last Saturday, I’d like to set the record straight.
Unlike the suffragette movement, the people who marched on Saturday were not protesting one specific, narrow issue. The problems we are tackling are not solved by amending one law. The message would be easier to convey if that were the case, but this movement includes many groups of people with their unique challenges. It recognizes that the problems faced by Muslim immigrant women, for instance, are not identical to the problems faced by Indigenous women. The obstacles faced by single mothers are not identical to those faced by people with disabilities.
What connected all of the marchers was a recognition that our collective progress as a society depends on everyone doing better. It’s a ‘no soldier left behind’ ideal. The movement includes people like me, who have little to ‘complain’ about. I educated myself about my proverbial neighbour. I march because I care about the health of our society as a whole. And I care about the future my children — sons and daughter — face.
So why do we march? There are many reasons. Here are just four:
1. Economic inequality still exists. Don’t point to the fact that male and female workers at Walmart earn the same minimum wage as an example of gender pay parity. A gender pay gap across industries and sectors still exists. The fight to raise the minimum wage so that everyone — men and women — has a living wage? That’s part of the movement’s platform.
2. Sexual violence and harassment still exists. Women are disproportionately affected by sexual violence, and reporting and conviction rates are still abysmally low. As for sexual harassment, the #metoo movement finally exposed just how prevalent it is in many workplaces. How does that get fixed? Enforcing the law, sure, but more significantly, it’s about educating people and changing cultures. Marching helps start conversations. Marching brings issues into the public space so that culture starts to shift.
3. Racism in all its forms still exists. Racial profiling of black and brown people is well documented in Canada. Black men are three times more likely to be carded by the police in Toronto, no matter where they live. Hate crimes against Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and others are on the rise. A year ago, six people were murdered in a Quebec mosque. We march because we want to be vocal and visible in our opposition to a culture and a system that still perpetuate that kind of bigotry. We march to bring awareness to these issues and to show those who are affected that they are not alone.
4. Inequality of opportunity to jobs and education still exists. Just because you didn’t face systemic obstacles, doesn’t mean others don’t.
The bottom line is that things are not perfect in Canada. Are things worse for some women in other countries? In some ways, yes, but since when is that the test for becoming politically active and engaged in community issues? If comparing ourselves to others is what matters, then here’s a fact: women (and men) are better off in 15 other countries on several metrics, including purchasing power, pollution, health, and safety. So while women in Denmark may have ‘nothing to complain about,’ the rest of us do.
The Women’s March movement has energized people to educate themselves, to step outside of their bubbles, and for some, to run for office and actively work to improve society. Critics may not care about their proverbial neighbours, but many of us do.
Finally, one more reason to march: to signal to our elected officials and aspiring politicians that however tempted they are by Trumpism and voters who bash marchers, there are many more of us who will march with our principles — straight to the voting booth.
Jasminka Kalajdzic is a lawyer and associate professor at the University of Windsor.