For the past few days news sites and social media has been full of news from the 2018 Women’s March and everything relating to it. Everything from talk of civil rights to political views have been brought up and discussed recently as the world once more listens to the women of not only America, but the world, as they demonstrate their commitment to making the future equal among all sexes and genders. In St. Petersburg the demonstrators surpassed 20,000 individuals, both woman and men, making it the largest in St. Petersburg history. Last year, over one million people took to the streets in protest, and even more joined in from across the country this month in support. Yet, despite the growing numbers in support of the Women’s Marches and fight for equality, there are still people calling this monumental event as something disruptive, unnecessary, and even “vulgar.”
After listening to Halsey’s incredibly emotional and moving poem it is hard to imagine that anyone can listen to it and feel distaste. For some, hearing the chanting voices for fairness and equal opportunity does not sway their minds or hearts to stand together with these women. It is most surprising when a woman herself sees a poster stating “For Our Daughters,” and Anti-Trump sentiments in response to his suggestions of bills being quite honestly ‘anti-woman,’ still descirbe the event as “You are hateful. You are vulgar. You are setting women back, not forward. Just look at your signs.”
I’m talking about Tomi Lahren, if you couldn’t tell by her brazen and hateful response. Lahren is a Republican political commentator currently working for a pro-Trump organization called the “Great America Alliance.” As many women marched for equal pay and justice for crimes against women, many also marched for their political views. Particularly, of course, their political views against President Trump. Recent news of losing birth control co-pays and threats of tightening abortion laws have made many Americans, not just women, fearful and outraged.
Lahren responded to the Women’s March in a Fox News newscast that is currently making its way around social media. She starts by saying, “This past weekend thousands of women – and men – took to the streets to show the world how nasty they can be. They called it the “women’s march” but I refuse to call it by that name. Truth is, by calling that vulgar display of hate and bitterness a “women’s march” we are actually demeaning and degrading what it means to be female. Think I’m kidding? Think I’m exaggerating? Think I’m anti-woman, anti-feminist, anti-female empowerment? Well, behold, the logical fallacy that is modern day feminism. Nothing says, “take me seriously” like marching around in pink hats screaming profanities and demanding free things.” She continues to describe the March as a, “temper-tantrum,” and asks women to instead thank Trump for the economy we currently have and the fact that there are some women working in the White House, including the first ever “mom to be press secretary.”
Many women have reacted to Lahren with understandable anger. It is shocking for a person to see a March for women’s rights and have a response of “instead just be thankful for what you have.” Tomi Lahren has conservative political views, as half the country does, and it is completely her right to support whichever political movements or laws she wants, yet she seems to have missed the point of this movement entirely. Her conservative views are what have made her defensive of our current conservative President, yet the Women’s March is not an attack on conservatism. The point of this march was to stand together as a society and demonstrate our determination and will to change our future for the better. Many supporters took this opportunity to voice their troubles with politics, and that is okay and even encouraged. I employ everyone who has looked at this March like Lahren to not see an attack of political views or an attack on Trump but as a displeasure in the way things are going and the beginning of those things being addressed and changing.
The lesson we can take away as country is to stand united, regardless of sex or gender or political view, as it will be the only way to ensure that all are treated equally.