They’re all wearing pink, knitted “pussy” hats. It must be cold; they’re in big jackets. There are lots of them, their voices rising above the crowd. They’re clicking their fingers to a single beat and singing as one.
I can’t keep quiet. No, I can’t keep quiet. For anyone. Any more.
These women had not met before the Women’s March on Washington DC on January, 21st. They all come from different states, they had only rehearsed online.
It was a beautiful moment. It's been shared on social media 100,000 times. It shows the power of coming together, that unified voices can - quite literally - drown out the hate.
Both this symbol, and the song itself, is about speaking up and speaking out.
It's a good starting point. But that is all: a starting point.
Listen: Meryl Streep's Golden Globes speech encapsulated how many of us feel about Donald Trump. (Post continues after audio.)
In our pride for attending the Women's Marches around the world, in our elation that millions, upon millions, of women and men showed up to fight for equality, we must remember: it does not end here.
The Women's March organisers in Sydney prepared for this. There were brochures circulating among the crowd, reminding us how to continue our action after the weekend.
It's a bid to maintain motivation following the march, to keep the fire burning in our bellies and further fuel our fight for change.
The flyer is a pledge, it reads:
I promise to:
- Volunteer in my community.
- Pay attention to what my elected officials are doing and speak out.
- Support women in the arts, business, sports and politics.
It's an important reminder to us all that placards and posters and tee-shirts and "pussy hats" are one thing, but achieving real change takes time and patience and smarts and team work.
Together, we are stronger and now is the time for action.
Top Comments
I am a young woman. I am not a Clinton supporter. I do all of the things on that flyer, with one notable caveat: I support women in business, sport, arts and politics based on merit, not merely based on their gender. I support women in these fields the same way I support men in these fields: on the strength of their character and the merit of their actions. That is true equality. These women's marches encourage only further divide between the sexes and cloud the real solution. Treat everyone equally and with equal respect.
You need a flyer to tell you to do these things? I'm 71 and I've been volunteering in the community since I became a Girl Guide at the age of 11, I've been a keen student of politics since I started high school in 1958 and I've always done everything I can to support women in every facet of life. My health is appalling now but I still actively volunteer. It's called being a responsible grown-up.