Since 1909, March 8 has been designated as International Women’s Day. The day grew out of marches where women demanded better hours, better pay and the right to vote.
Since then, it has been used to draw attention to many issues pertaining to women. This year, organizers are planning for women to go on strike to show what a day without women would be like. The idea is for women to stay home from work, as well as only shopping at places that support women’s equality. This would call attention to women’s issues by affecting the economy, one of the most productive ways to protest.
The concept is taken from the Day Without Immigrants, which took place on Feb. 16. People who participated stayed home from work, did not shop and kept their children home from school. Although the effect of the protest in Oswego was minimal, across the nation many businesses had reduced staff or shut down and school attendance dropped dramatically in some districts. These are effective, peaceful ways to protest the policies and actions of President Donald Trump and Congress. However, this method is not without its faults.
Some people have lost their jobs for participating in the Day Without Immigrants. According to NBC News, people in New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and Colorado have been terminated due to their decision to not work. Looking ahead to the Day Without Women, many people cannot afford to lose their jobs, especially low-income workers. Even if they do not get fired, many cannot afford to lose a day of pay or receive a write-up for not coming in. This especially affects workers at jobs where vacation time is not given and workers have had to already call-in due to sickness, lack of childcare, transportation or other reasons. This aspect of the protest, although great in theory, ignores the reality of working class people, who arguably are affected by government policy the most.
This does not mean the protest is worthless. As college students, some may not have jobs and if they do it may be difficult to afford a day off, but everyone can all participate in the protest. One way would be to only shop at places that support women’s rights. Look up the track record of a company online, ask local business owners about their policies or shop online at places that stand for women’s equality. Another way would be to contact government officials at the local, state and national level and ask them to support policies that promote women’s rights. Being on a college campus, students can also talk to their peers about women’s equality and what it means to them. People can partake in online activism or donate time or money to organizations that promote women’s equality.
Promoting the idea of not going to work may not be effective for many people in our society. However, as Americans, people have the right to peacefully protest and it is important to use that right. Even if people cannot afford to take time off of work, there are several ways they can participate and have their voices heard.
