Every year since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, women all around the country have come together for the Women’s March to protest misogyny and gender inequality on Jan. 19.
The idea behind the historic tradition is that Trump and his administration are sexist and unfair.
Women are demanding that he be impeached.
However, it seems as though this “Women’s March” is actually more of a “White Women’s March.”
I’ve only ever experienced the Women’s March through pictures on social media, and as I see these pictures with millions of women gathered in thousands of cities across the United States, what stands out is it is a sea of white faces.
One explanation for this I think is not that people of color are excluded or unwelcome to march, but that there is much more behind their indifference towards Trump and his administration than blatant misogyny.
Racism is still very much alive and well in the United States and is an entire issue on its own.
People of color may be protesting the fact that racism is not getting nearly as much attention in these marches as sexism.
The huge majority of Women’s March participants are white because racism does not affect white women in the U.S. as much as people of color, therefore they prefer to focus all their energy into protesting misogyny.
Another reason for lack of inclusiveness may be tied to Women’s March leadership having ties to racism and lacking diversity.
In January 2019 — according to an article by Washington Post — a march in Humboldt County was cancelled over concerns of the participants being “overwhelmingly white.”
One way to possibly get minority women to participate in this dignified event is to find a way to make it about more than just sexism and gender inequality.
Minority women would be more likely to participate in the march if the objective was changed to protest Trump’s attitude about gender equality, racial equality, immigration and critical socio-economic issues that heavily affect all women.
Nevertheless, minority women deal with more hardships beyond misogyny from President Trump.
The lack of inclusiveness in Women’s Marches nationwide is a cause for concern, raising questions over whether this movement truly stands for all women.
