(ThySistas.com) The Women’s March on Washington gathered women all over this country standing in solidarity in opposition to the current president, and administration. The organizers realized that we must all take a stand against the subjugation, disenfranchisement, and inequality of women all over our land. As always black women are at the core organizing and we show up in numbers to support the movement. The problem is the common thread is the disapproval of the current president. What is to happen now that the march is over? Are we going to be able, as a collective to turn a massive outcry into necessary change? Are we supporting the collective narrative of white middle class women again, while the issues that affect black women go ignored?
Moving forward, unfortunately, the latter must be a concern. It must remain in the forefront of our mind that 53% of white women voted for the current president, and there are white women who would do it again. We must be honest with ourselves and realize that
the racial inequality that is compiled with our gender concerns are not a primary focus of this current movement. As a matter of fact, it was seen as divisive. If the causes of all women are not equally important we must renegotiate the nature of our involvement, and where we must go from here. Being in solidarity with all women is a beautiful concept. However, at this time it’s still not realistic.
It is far time that we, as black women, set aside differences we may have and unify ourselves. The black female collective must look to itself because no one will fight for our concerns like us. There are white women, and other races of women that will stand with us. However, we must become our own initiative. For too long we have yielded strength, and support to a movement that puts us on a back burner…to a movement that silences our voice as they fight to be heard. In order to achieve a oneness among black women we must be willing to take a stand knowing that we will receive some opposition from other women.
We must put the needs of our sisters first, and make the fight for our rights paramount. The strength, energy and power that we pour into fueling the fight of white feminism must be redirected to our own sisters. Our concerns are as old as the plantation, and they deserve to treated with respect. It is natural for a group of people to fight hardest for their own self-interest. This is something as women, and as a people, that we must come to terms with. A white woman is never going to place the struggles of another woman above that of her own…that’s to be expected.
What we must realize is it is NOT in our best interest to marginalize our voice, and struggles for a collective whole where women are concerned. It is imperative that we stop acting against our own self-interest. As women, and the mothers of the movement for our people, we must come together and unify. Maybe it’s time for black women to organize, march and allow our voice to be heard in solidarity with each other. It’s time to give our men a movement whereby that can stand behind us in support. Only we can do this…it’s time to unify ourselves.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitter; http://twitter.com/MrzZeta.