Top 5 Ways to Make Your Voice Heard at the Million Woman March
On election day this past November I thought about what it meant to me to have a female president. In the end, it all came down to one word. Validation, the confirmation that my thoughts are worthwhile, my role in life is important, and that I am not responsible for the way others react toward me. Defining what a feminine leader meant to me was a Come-to-Jesus moment of sorts. With the clarity so palpable and bright, I for once allowed my expectations to be high. And when I awoke the morning following election day at 4am on the sofa I was devastated that it didn’t happen.
I fear the reason for the failure was two-fold. 1) Excellent use of media from the opposition with the “any-press-is-good-press” attitude and 2)An endemic culture of feminine in-fighting that is the result of a lack of self-respect. For some reason we all need hierarchical confirmation of our self worth. Men have been granted the self worth superiority complex for years and many are unwilling to relinquish it to women and other groups deemed suspect for fear of losing their perceived level of excellence. Unfortunately as we now know, just under the majority of Americans feed into this practice of putting others down to make themselves feel better. The distribution of order is due to the self disrespect, these pseudo-lesser groups allow others to project on themselves.
Enter the Million Woman March. An atonement themed protest to let the world know that we are a united front. African American men did it in 1995 women, men and children of African descent accepted the challenge in 1997 and now, twenty years later, women of all nationalities are rallying together to accept our failure to live up to the abilities of our own selves regardless of the approval from others. Granted, this is my opinion of the purpose of next week’s Million Woman March based on research of previous marches carrying similar nomenclature.
Nonetheless, the day the concept of Madam President lay in a file still unopened, I commissioned my own self to move forward with my thoughts, speak louder, clearer and more often. Unfortunately, I have not figured out what I am going to say at the march. Perhaps it doesn’t matter a great deal as is apparent through our election? But, following are some suggestions from a previous marketing and sales professional as to how to get your voice heard. And, if you have time or ideas, please share in the comment section below your thoughts of what could be on my sign and the signs I pass along to others.
5. Make signs—lots of them! Then HAND THEM OUT! Many people who attend Marches go to be present. But without a sign, you’ll never gain media attention and that is how our voices are heard in this nation. The more people with an opinion, the more recognition your cause will receive.
4. Wear your opinion. Wear pink to support breast cancer, white for the woman’s suffrage movement or a red scarf with white polka-dots to demonstrate the role women have played throughout history. The more visible you are, the more your voice will be heard.
3. Say something positive. Our children are watching, or at least they will be. This presidency will go down in the history books as a point in time where name calling and negativity won a presidential election. So take the high road and make sure what you are saying has a positive tune.
2. Create a physical act of opposition. Mahatma Gandhi got people to pay attention to India over Britain by collecting forbidden salt. I plan on doing 22 pushups at the protest to raise awareness for veterans (mostly female) who are committing suicide.
1.Act with purpose. Listen to what other people have to say. Share your story of why you are there and learn how you can get further involved to affect change that coincides with your ethics and values.
