In the past year, a lot has changed since the 2017 Women’s March on Washington D.C. and sister cities. A new president was instated, women have found their voices and brought the #metoo and Time’s Up movements to light, millions have marched to defend women’s rights and women’s healthcare and in true solidarity, countless women have bravely shared their stories of being underpaid or sexually harassed in the workplace.
Since the last Women’s March, women have continued to support each other, encouraging those affected to share their stories and give strength to other survivors. Prior to the Women’s March on Washington D.C. in 2017, sexual misconduct in the workplace and on college campuses, etc. was a touchy subject that no politician or public figure wanted to address or fix. However, because resistors such as America Ferrera, Reese Witherspoon, Gloria Steinem, Yara Shahidi, Emma Watson and several Olympic Gymnasts among others spoke out about women’s rights and ending sexual harassment and assault, the government and the public could no longer ignore the issues.
Unfortunately, there has been little to no legislation passed under our new president to protect women’s healthcare, ensure equal pay or help the victims of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. Nevertheless, women are not taking it anymore. 500,000 people marched on Washington in 2017 and 5,246,670 people marched in the U.S. Over the past year, numbers have gone up totaling more than 200,000 people in NYC, 600,000 people in Los Angeles, and 300,000 people in Philadelphia.
In Morristown, NJ, Governor Phil Murphy and his wife Tammy Murphy made encouraging and inspiring speeches along with many other brilliant speakers. Phil Murphy stated that one of his first executive legislations will be to ensure equal pay for women. Tammy Murphy told her own chilling story of being sexually assaulted on her college campus. It takes courage and immense strength to be able to open up to complete strangers for the greater good of womankind. It only goes to show that things like this have been happening to too many women all across the country and that the time is up.
What has changed since the 2017 Women’s March is not new laws or legislation, but the resistance and the sisterhood. Women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights. Get involved wherever you can and join the movement. Some of the organizations to join are HeforShe, Time’s Up, Let Girls Learn, Girls Incorporated, National Organization for Women, YWCA USA and many more. Even better? Get out there and march in the Women’s March 2019. To be the change in the new year, take action and do not stay quiet – be as loud and as public as possible, protest, post on social media and spread the word. Women and girls have been silenced for too long, we can’t afford to wait another year. In this way, I hope I never have to hear another sister say “me too”.