Respect Us

It's been a little while again. I got caught up in making work and forgot to write about anything. I have pottery getting glazed and ready to be fired before my Valentine's Day Sale on my Facebook page. I have beaded items waiting for finishing touches and a crocheted frog that is still without a head.

Except that is not what occupied my time this weekend. As most people know by now, the United States of America has a new president. He was sworn into office on Friday and there were protests on Friday, some that got violent, and that's not ok. But on Saturday, millions of women from all over the world rose up in Sister Marches to demonstrate for women's rights in peaceful protest. I attended one such sister march and I am proud of that fact. (I even made it on the local news, look for my hat. This is my crocheted version of the Pussy Hat.)

I couldn't pick one message for my sign, so I used the heart and an all encompassing
"RESPECT US"

Here is what I marched for:

Respect for women. The new president has shown time and again that the only women worth noticing are the pretty ones and at times it seemed he would only notice them to "grab them by the pussy." Not a good quality in a person who is supposed to represent all our people.

Rights for women. The debate of abortion is ongoing. Are women really capable of making that decision for themselves? I think we are, but many people don't think we have the right to say what we do for our own bodies and health. I'm not saying abortion is ok, I'm not saying I will have one if the situation was put on me, but I am saying it would be my decision and no one else's business.

Our march took us down the main street running through town.

Equal pay for women. On average women earn $.70 to the dollar that a man makes while doing the same job and it doesn't matter if the woman is more qualified. I have personal experience with this and it may be one of the reasons I have drifted away from the 9-5:00 jobs and feel contempt at the thought I may have to consider going back to one of those jobs.

Fair and affordable healthcare. I can't afford health insurance in the pre-Affordable Care Act era. With the new people in government already trying to get rid of the ACA, I'm not the only one worried about my health future. I have a preexisting condition that would make me un-insurable or would cause any insurance company to raise my rates to such extreme levels that I wouldn't be able to use my insurance even if I did need it. Which I will, every year for the rest of my life, in order to get a check-up with my cardiologist.

It was wet, rainy, icy, muddy, slushy, cold. And it was fantastic.

Respect and acceptance for people of different races, religions, abilities and gender identification. Over the course of the campaigns, the new president singled out people based on these things and told us to hate them. Told us to mock them. Told us it is ok to do what we (he) wanted because no one is going to do anything about it. Told us they are not worthy of our time. He may not have said anything specific (then again maybe he did), but as the president he has to lead by example and I don't agree with his examples. During the campaign we saw the hate, felt the hate, became worried about our safety or the safety of friends and family who fall into one (or more of those categories) or we worried about the safety of people in general.

Education. I fear for the continuation of the public school system. I went to public schools for 13 years, and the person the president wants to put in charge of the country's education has no experience in public schools and has little to no knowledge except what she was told about during her confirmation hearing, which she should now go research. Or maybe find out if there is a Complete Idiot's Guide to Being the Secretary of Education.

I made 53 of these pink crocheted hearts with safety pins. That was all I could
get made in the time I had once I decided to make them. We had 315 marchers.
I handed them out as we gathered and marched. I finished off several more
balls of yarn yesterday and made 20 more, I need some more safety pins now.

I marched for the environment, for that one female we all rely on. Mother Nature has tolerated us, barely, and with new people being put in charge of our energy and EPA, I fear we may just destroy what little balance we are clinging to so desperately with our finger nails. Global warming is not a hoax, and yet people refuse to believe the science and facts and call it one.

I'm sure there are other things that people marched for. Right now this is what I know I was marching for. I'm sure things will continue to come to the surface that will make me want to march all over again, but for right now this is what I have. I've felt despairing, lonely, unsure since the election, this march showed me I am not alone. It gave me a boost. I hope a movement comes from this, I hope it gains momentum and I hope one day we can have a country and a government that is truly accepting, truly respectful, and truly whole. I have no interest in leading, I wouldn't know how to do so, but that's the difference between me and the president. I know I'm not right for the job of President of the United States.

A panoramic of our rally in the park.