This weekend is an important horizon on the U.S. landscape of women's history: People across the nation will mark the anniversary of the historic Women's March on Washington. But for some women, the anniversary is another reminder of the shortcomings of the 2017 Women's March.
Critics said the march centered on cis white women at the expense of women of color and trans women, both groups who many felt had more to lose under a new administration many saw as hostile to human rights. At the start, organizers of the women's march were almost all white, though they quickly course-corrected by bringing on Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez and Linda Sarsour.
But some underrepresented women felt their issues — such as racism, discrimination, police brutality, LGBTQ inclusivity, and immigration — were relegated in favor of issues that matter most to straight, white, middle-class women.
“We have to decide: Do we want equality and justice for a select group, or do we want it for everyone, and we know all these issues are tied together," said Ruth Hopkins, a Native American writer and activist. "Gender justice is related to economic justice and racial justice and we have to think about all these things.”
As the 2018 Women's March and sister marches converge on Saturday and Sunday across the country, many women are asking: Has anything changed?