To Christy on Facebook, who doesn't need the Women's March

[babylonsister]

https://medium.com/@susan.speer/to-christy-on-facebook-who-doesnt-need-the-women-s-march-beb4948e1e4b#.p56780pif

To Christy on Facebook, who doesn’t need the Women’s March
Susan Speer


In response to the millions of women who marched yesterday, there’s a Facebook rebuttal going around by a woman named Christy. Apparently, there are quite a few women who agree with her.

The summary: Christy doesn’t need this march. Why do any women need this march? This is America, I have everything I need, and if you don’t, it’s your own fault, and marching won’t fix that for you.

Here is my response to Christy, and by association, all the women who agreed with her:

Hi Christy. We don’t know each other, but your #notmymarch post is getting shared a lot today. It showed up in my feed, thanks to a few of my friends who like what you’re saying.

In some respects, our worlds probably aren’t too far apart.

I’m going to make assumptions — and I could be wrong — but I’m a college-educated, professional mom. I live in a safe neighborhood with nice houses, surrounded by big, shady trees. My days are filled with the stuff of suburbia: My kids get a warm breakfast before school, and I go to work or the gym. I get my groceries delivered to my door. I’m a single mom and my life gets messy sometimes, but I’m grateful for everything my kids and I have and I fully understand that there are women in this country who don’t have a sliver of what I have and no matter what they do, they never will. And it isn’t because they aren’t trying hard enough.

Christy, I’m going to ask you an important question.

Besides the cashier at Target — the one who watches you swipe your bank card and walk out with your $195 worth of whatever you buy at Target — besides that woman, or the woman who stretches out of the drive-thru window to give you your grande skinny latte that you paid for with the app on your phone…. (and here’s the question) When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with a woman whose life isn’t pretty much like yours?

Take all the time you need.

You said you were being made to feel like you’re a “disgrace to women” because you don’t agree with women who marched yesterday.

That’s a clever opener to get a boost from the girlfriends who might be on the edge of feeling the way you do, and were waiting for someone to say it so they could agree with you. It’s like saying, “I know I’m fat and ugly,” so your friends will rush to your side to reassure you that you’re not.

You say your voice is heard. You say you’re not a second-class citizen. So what’s the problem, amirite?

Again, I’m full of assumptions here, but you feel like your voice is heard, because maybe you have no idea what it feels like to not be heard. You don’t feel like a second-class citizen, because you’ve never been one.

snip//

Which brings me to The Women’s March.

I didn’t march because I personally feel marginalized. I marched because I can. I marched because a lot of women can’t, even if you don’t see them. I marched for women of privilege, women who don’t have shit, women who are raising awesome children with their same-sex partner who has to legally adopt the child that is biologically hers, and might find herself spontaneously unmarried in the eyes of the Supreme Court. I marched for women who need reproductive healthcare of any kind. I marched for the 17-year old pregnant girl who dropped out of school to sort my clothes at the dry cleaners for $7.25/hour. She has to quit when the baby comes because she doesn’t get any time off, paid or otherwise. Her next job will be minimum wage, too, because she hasn’t gotten her GED yet and doesn’t know if she can get in the night school program because she’ll need someone to stay with her newborn. I marched for the woman who was raped in college and still hasn’t even told her best friend, after all these years.

I even marched for you, Christy. Even if you don’t feel like you need anyone to march for you.

[TNNurse]

1. That is perfect

Are you putting it on FB?

[babylonsister]

2. It's there and where I got it from.

Felt obliged to share with some of my 'pals' who questioned why the march even happened. Help yourself!

[Blue_Tires]

3. I'm guessing with a little bit of digging

we'll discover this "Christy" is a troll account...

[babylonsister]

4. Maybe not;

I heard from several women yesterday who were disgusted/perplexed about anyone marching against dt, totally overlooking all the other issues that everyone marched for. They are out there.

[Mc Mike]

6. Righties trying to insulate themselves from unpleasant introspection brought about by

seeing the Massive number of people who don't agree with them. Mental self censorship.

At the March and rally, I saw the wide variety of issues and speakers, and thought of occupy. I remembered the stupid criticism levied by the right that 'they don't have a cause, don't have an issue, they're talking about everything'.

Of course that was true in spades about the bedlam that was teabag rallies and events. But with occupy And the Womens' Marches, all of the issues are about one issue, which is that this tiny amount of rightwing nazis is attacking everyone, on all fronts, all the time.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

19. n/t

[Mc Mike]

32. rbay

[BlancheSplanchnik]

35. Hmmm I have no idea why I replied, n/t to you!!

Erk!

Sorry!

[Mc Mike]

41. It was puzzling, but not insulting, B. Nt.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

43. Lol! It was 4am so, I guess that explains it. n/t

[Mc Mike]

44. Ah. nT

[mountain grammy]

9. I've been hearing from a few women I know personally.

Not trolls, traitors. This OP is a great response..

[George II]

12. I watched "news" for the first time since November 8, switching primarily between....

....CNN and MSNBC for their coverage of the marches, and C-Span. MSNBC was doing the best, with split screens showing four of the rallies at once.

Then MSNBC brought on one of the people you're talking about here, Denise Galvez, who was the founder of "Latinas for Trump". When she went on a rant about all the Hispanics who "came to the US to take advantage of welfare" (I hadn't heard that one for more than 20 years!) I switched back to CNN and never went back to MSNBC.

There really are people, women and men, who think everything is just fine in this country, and if anyone isn't "making it", it is their own fault.

Hopefully by spring or summer reality will set in and they'll realize what they did by electing that guy.

The older people with a little bit of money won't see it directly, but once they see their sons and daughters have trouble paying for health insurance they'll realize. Once their 401-k takes a dive they'll realize. Once their pensions reduced or discontinued, they'll realize. Once their taxes go UP (yes, despite what the republicans say taxes for the average American WILL go up!) they'll realize. There are so many things that they don't see in their cushy lives that they'll begin to see once the effects of what the republicans are doing sink in.

[LakeArenal]

21. I agree with every thing being said here except one....

"Hopefully by spring or summer reality will set in and they'll realize what they did by electing that guy. "

I also dislike Twitler to my core. I think he is more than deplorable.

But hopefully by spring or summer, I will realize I have been wrong about him. What a mistake in not voting for him. In other words, I hope he makes America great(er) I think it is great now. Hopefully, Twitler will poop rainbows, healthcare, and jobs for everyone.

What are the chances of any of this happening..? zero point zero... But that is what I hope.

[Adsos Letter]

27. As you may have noticed on my FB page

There are several in my extended family.

[IronLionZion]

18. There are plenty of women against feminism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Schlafly

There's a certain type of woman who benefits tremendously from patriarchy and throwing fellow women under the bus.

Millions of women voted for a grabber who walks in on teenage girls changing in the locker room.

[Binders Keepers]

5. It's amazing to me how Republicans, including Republican women,

who expressed a fair amount of revulsion to Trump during the Republican debates (often booing his remarks onstage) have now fallen in line behind him, to the point where they will brook no criticism of him and react hostilely to such. This is bizarre behavior to my mind, but apparently reflects the thought control that Fox News can exert on a type of person who values loyalty to the group over individuality and reacts defensively to any threat from outside the group.

[DownriverDem]

7. Sold Out

The repub women have sold out just like many repub men. It's about abortion to many of them. When Roe v Wade is overturned and it goes back to the states, they still won't be happy. Meanwhile they are ignoring all that is being done to "we the people". I find repub women to be the worst.

[LakeArenal]

22. Women fell in line but holy mackeral, how about the congresmen that fell in line.

Now even McCain and Graham!!!

[smirkymonkey]

8. K&R

[cry baby]

10. I saw that and answered that she wouldn't have rights

and be heard if it weren't for women marching and fighting for those rights before she was even aware or likely, before she was even born. And I also said that my mother couldn't get a credit card without my dad, her husband, getting one for her... in the recent past, not ancient past. Women have had to fight to be heard and we are still earning less than men. We still are fighting for equality today.

[ismnotwasm]

11. K&R

[betsuni]

13. K&R

[gademocrat7]

14. K&R

[kerry-is-my-prez]

15. "It's called empathy, Christie, instead of selfishness (or often, narcissism)"

No wonder she likes Trump, he's just like her.....

[TalenaGor]

16. her lack of empathy doesn't change anyone's struggle

[Maru Kitteh]

37. Excellent point there, and welcome to DU!

That is a very truthful, and succinct observation/point to communicate. Just because "Christy" does not understand or empathize, it doesn't change the fact of others' struggle.

[TalenaGor]

39. ty :) im not new just recycled lol

had to abandon my old ID cause I had an online stalker who found me here....

[Wounded Bear]

17. K & R ...... nt

[volstork]

20. I just talked to a patient of mine

who said, with a roll of her eyes, "I'm pretty sure all of those women have rights. I don't know what they are getting their panties all in a wad for." This, after she made sure to show me her 2-carat diamond earrings. The disconnect is amazing.


Until we ALL realize that there are so many who are marginalized, we will never live up to what the Constitution promises.

[Mad_Dem_X]

23. Wonderful.

I have a female FB friend who keeps putting up memes mocking the march. This would be the perfect response to her. But she probably wouldn't read it.

[Maru Kitteh]

38. It doesn't mean we shouldn't try. It doesn't mean we should let their bigotry go

unchallenged.

I used to keep quiet for the most part on FB where I saw this kind of ugliness. I unfriended legions during the election, and of those who I chose to keep, I no longer leave their statements unanswered.

I'm not going to be a nice girl and just be quiet any more.

[central scrutinizer]

24. I hope Christy has an extra room

When Drumpf and his pirates steal large chunks of Medicare, Social Security and anything else that isn't nailed down, her elderly parents are going need a place to live. They will have lost their savings and house once the inevitable medical crisis hits. Maybe Christy has a refrigerator box ready for them in the garage and has scoped out a good spot under a bridge so she will be OK.

[Iggo]

25. If she needs one, she'll have one. Because this...this is America.

[Afromania]

26. Upvote and Rec

All the upvotes and recs, forever.

[Hekate]

28. Well done

[coeur_de_lion]

29. Shared this on my facebook. Thank you for posting. n/t

[flygal]

30. That Christy woman is a real piece of work!

She is trying to get some crazy conservative christian web news going viral and this might do it. It's almost all anti-liberal pieces. What is the deal with these people so full of hate. The republicans have really done a number of this group. And now that they can easily make money off of it - it's everywhere. How many anti-liberal places do these people need to visit?

[HockeyMom]

31. Woman on another website posted she didn't need it either

I posted about my Grandma who was a Teenage Suffragette. I have a picture of her marching in NYC. She was widowed at the age of 34 with 6 and 2 year old children. Grandma refused all marriage offers, got a job as Nanny/Housekeeper, supported and raised my Mom and Uncle all alone. This was unheard in her day. I did not even get into what the women of MY generation did that she now benefits from.

I told this woman that she was reaping the benefits of my Grandma's Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Do not dishonor her, OR the women marching today. Grandma was way ahead of her times and was my heroine. She encouraged me as a young woman to fight for women's rights back in the 60's and 70's.

Just seeing the numbers of young women in these demonstrations, gives me hope for the younger generation. They understand even if some of these women don't.

[lordsummerisle]

33. k&r n/t

[JDC]

34. This brings up an interesting contradiction

I argued with many folks pre-election who kept telling me how bad things were under Obama. How we needed to change the establishment. How jobs are gone, how Bad things are in America. Yet now that Trump was elected, everything is great. Unemployment's ok. Stock market is solid. Just needed the right guy in charge for 24 hours I guess....

As this Christy person puts it, she's got all she needs. No need to make waves. What's the big deal? So my point: her argument before was flat at best and she doesn't even see her own hypocrisy. Further she - and others like her - are going to be reminded very quickly of how things were in 07 and 08. What unemployment looks like, what the housing market crashing looks like. What war(s) looks like. $4-5 gas p/ Gallon. And most likely how things were - as eloquently pointed out in the rebuttal - in a time when women and others were in fact waaay more marginalized in this country.

I must say, I am dubious about all FB or twitter counter posts to something like the MoW, I think they are most likely troll posts. This smells of it to me.

[Hekate]

36. This is just fantastic. Thanks

[ellie]

40. My first thought

on reading "Christy's" drivel was uncharitable. My second thought was, Well, not everything is about you, Christy.

[underpants]

42. The ones I've sent ate from 'Debra"

Great response