Member-only story
Today there will be many marches, as it’s International Women’s Day. There will be many congratulations, which we would prefer to avoid.
Today is your chance, as a feminist, no matter your gender identity or sex, to carry the torch on behalf of someone who can’t. What do I mean by someone who can’t? Well simply, the disabled women, who are stuck because the pain of moving, or the labour of going out to a big event is too much, I wish you to carry a torch for us today.
This is not me saying that no disabled women will be able to attend the marches today, that’s not at all it. I just want you to think about the ones of us who simply can’t attend today. Be it for work, disability, home with kids, other ailments, temporary or permanent situations which is keeping us from joining today.
I wish you to be cognizant of those who can’t attend, and that it’s okay that they can’t. We do not live in a society where everyone is at equal footing, which is why today is needed still, just like last month (Black History Month) is severely needed.
It isn’t only about today, it’s about consistently doing things to dismantle the patriarchy, and the colonial mindset, and systems of oppression we have in place in our societies. Today you have the chance to change, to improve yourself, become just a little bit better. Take that chance, and keep helping, be it daily, weekly, monthly, for the next year. And then in 2020, show us what you’ve done, let us see change together.
If you need something concrete to do today, I will leave you with two things:
- If you had not planned to attend a march, please consider going for me. Or one of your friends, who physically can’t.
- Do not say happy women’s day.
