Why I March

Reflections in advance of the Women’s March in Washington DC

I march for my mother…

…who gave her whole life to the cause of my childhood, that I might reach higher and farther than previous generations. She is a continuing example of quiet strength. May she live out her days in happiness, with pride in her accomplishments.

I march with and for my daughter…

…with raging blue hair and a spirit that streaks the night sky like a meteor. May she live life on her own terms, all her days.

I march for my granddaughter…

…or the theory of her, one day. May she join us in a world where she does battle with her brothers, side by side, every man her equal.

I march for my sons…

…valiant young men who have inherited their Daddy’s particular blend of strength and gentleness, compassionate levelers of the playing field. May they use their power and their privilege to expand that of others, all their days.

I march for my husband…

…the best feminist I know. He who has evolved with me, loves with an open hand, and isn’t afraid to fight, in the down and dirty ways, for all of the women in his life. This is power and privilege properly applied. May he leave a legacy of empowerment.

I march for the women I love…

…strong sisters who aren’t afraid to fight, their shoulders hold up the world, deep wells of strength and compassion. May they not grow weary of pressing forward.

I march for the men I love…

…each one a gift, each one a warrior, each one lifting the world in his own way. May they continue to tear down what no longer serves us and build a new world from old stones.

I march for the children I love…

…the tiny ones who rely on us to build a world that is right and good, balanced and peaceful, prosperous and equitable. May we never let them down.

I march with Ruth and for Sarah…

…and girls like them, trapped in terrible patriarchal power structures from which it takes all of one’s strength to escape. Girls who want to rise. May we see them, extend a hand, and do the work to give them wings.

I march for my grandmother who is living…

… but unable to march far from her bed these days. Her example in love and constancy inspire me, her legacy in family lifts me up. May her last days be filled with joy and the fruits of her labor.

I march for my grandmother who has passed…

…the one who gave me my feisty spirit, the one who wasn’t afraid to fight, the one who taught me to be fierce. May she march with me in spirit.

I march for my country…

…land that I love, bastion of strength and freedom in the world, land of opportunity, specifically for women. May we remember to press forward and never fall back.

I march for the world…

…for my women friends everywhere, from the highlands of Guatemala to the bread shops of Tunisia, and the rice paddies of Laos. I carry their hopes with me along with my banner and their voice in my own. May we rise together.

I march for equality:

• In pay and in employment opportunity
• In access to education and healthcare
• In boardrooms and in political seats

I march for choice:

• In how we choose to live
• Who we choose to live with
• How we order our lives
• In healthcare
• In whether or not, when, and how we have children
• In education
• In career path
• In living life on our own terms.

I march for all women, young and old, straight, lesbian, transgender or otherwise.

I march for progress.

We’ve come a long way in 100 years, there is a long way yet to go.