I sat out of the women’s march and here is why. 

A self proclaimed feminist who decided to sit out on the women’s march and its social media engagement. A walking hypocrite is the first thing I thought of myself when I decided to “clock out” of the movement for the day. Not only was I not marching in defense of women’s rights, I wasn’t engaging in any dialogue via social media about the movement.

Why?

White women don’t actually include us in feminism except when it’s to gain numbers. And I am sick of that crap.

The whole ‘Come march with us but when you actually need us to be your ally, we won’t be there’ version of feminism black women have been experiencing is tiring. Black women have come out loud and proud to dozens of women’s’ marches across the country but only see black women at BLM marches. At the polls in support of candidates that are FOR women. In defense of black women online/on social media. Across the table when discussing true inclusion in branding, marketing, content credit and equal pay. We are often left on our own to defend ourselves when we are speaking about issues that seriously affect black women/women of color. Where are our fellow feminist ‘sisters’? Our allies?

Previously this made me mad, annoyed, upset and downright irate all at the same time. But now its makes me look at black women and say “We don’t actually NEED them, we’ve been breaking glass ceilings and kicking down doors without them”. Why sit around and wait on them to join the fight when we can come together and do it for ourselves? We may not have a real seat at the current feminist movement table but that’s fine. We are bringing our own table to the discussion next time.