With the #MeToo movement in late 2017 and Time’s Up heating up in early 2018, the time is ripe for activism. More and more womxn are banding together to begin their activist journeys, inspired by recent events.
Last year’s Womxn’s Marches across the nation held a certain power – just after the election of a new, unabashedly sexist president, millions of womxn across the world marched to show their anger, frustration, and disapproval with the political system, as well as solidarity with each other.
This year, the Womxn’s March seems somehow even more appropriate as the events of 2017 unfolded, exposing a serious conversation about systemic injustices in the entertainment industry and beyond.
My biggest fear, though, is that people will march and retweet and feel that that is enough. Let me tell you: it isn’t nearly enough to actually change the world, but it’s a damn good start.
Here are ways you can continue to be an activist beyond the Womxn’s March this year:
1. Try your hardest to be an ethical consumer.
What I mean by this is that you should put your money where your mouth is. Only support things that you approve of in ethical terms. For example, if there’s a director, actor, producer, or singer who’s suddenly been accused of sexual assault, don’t pay to see their next act. Hurt them with your wallet, okay?
To take this practice a bit further, pick and choose which corporations you feel you can ethically support, too. It’s hard in the US where corporate conglomerates have taken over practically everything (see here). It can be incredibly difficult support a seemingly unproblematic brand without also supporting its parent corporation, which may be unethical.
My advice is to shop as local as you can and do some research on ethical brands for products like food, makeup, and clothing. Money is one of the ways you can really change companies’ attitudes on how they will spend their money, hopefully for the better.
Side note: you’ll save a lot of money when your budget no longer includes problematic people, things, and corporations!
Image source: Giphy
2. Keep educating yourself.
There are people who have been outspoken about their activism who have still been torn down for a problematic past or an offhand comment. It can hurt a lot when someone points out that you’ve engaged in insensitive or even offensive behaviors, but it can only help you grow.
Take Emma Watson’s recent post about white feminism. She recounts her experience questioning her brand of feminism, and also her growth beyond that limited viewpoint.
Image source: Tumblr
Think this applies to you? Then I highly recommend reading the Guide to Allyship. Keep learning from others. Keep listening to those beyond your immediate community. Make those difficult conversations productive.
3. Take care of yourself.
Nobody, and I mean that, nobody can be hyped up about social issues 24/7. It just isn’t possible. So take a breather, disengage from toxic social media for a bit, and make sure you’re making progress in a healthy way. Even people who make a living by being activists need to eat, sleep, and recover mentally.
Marches and protests can be exhilarating. Chanting with hundreds of others can be empowering. However, you absolutely must take care of yourself so that you can continue to take part in these movements. Getting sick, injuring yourself, or even pushing your mental wellness beyond a healthy state can be dangerous.
Everyone handles activism at different rates. For those of you who protested for the first time at this year’s Womxn’s March, I’m proud of you. If it was your twentieth or two hundredth demonstration, I’m proud of you.
Keep going. Keep listening. Keep fighting.
*Note: the author has chosen to use the inclusive “x” in her spelling of womxn.
Image source: Unsplash, Vlad Tchompalov