The day after Donald Trump officially became the 45th President of the United States. Woman all over America (and in some parts of the world) took to the streets of major cities including Washington D.C. in enormous numbers.
From the website womensmarch.com the following:
“In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we join in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore. The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world that women’s rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.”
In the aftermath of a divisive election season, with President Trump’s words, demeanor and attitudes representing the worse misogyny and glorifying “locker room talk” such a rally was timely and meaningful.
Peaceful protest, marching and forceful debate are hallmarks of a vibrant and healthy democracy. I personally applaud the marches. I believe the majority of those participating wanted to ensure that on their first day in office President Trump and his team saw and heard, in no uncertain terms, that the highest standard of conduct, protection of rights and service to all citizens is expected from those in the highest civic offices of the Union.
This is right. More than the media and other officials it is the people who must monitor and hold its government to account. For what they do and how they do it. And the marches were a great first step in setting that tone.
I hope that this is just a beginning. That these same women carried the sentiment back to their homes and communities. That they will talk to their boys and husbands about the destructive nature of pornography – and that it’s not cool or normal. It degrades women and men and it destroys healthy relationships and the ability to form them. That they will review popular literature and music and make better choices than 50 shades of grey and Beyoncé. If the march begins a kitchen table revolution that rejects the locker room talk that permeates our society at so many levels, so much so that a man who is the poster child for these attitudes can be elected POTUS. To march against him and not act against the social norms that create and normalize him will not affect the change needed to ensure and protect our shared rights.
Unfortunately the first evidence of hypocrisy that taints the march and movement is found in the attitude and actions of some of its main proponents. These are entertainers, singers and movie stars many of whom have made their names and careers by celebrating and projecting a sexualised image of womanhood. The argument that its okay for a woman artist to sing locker room style lyrics and grab their own genitals provocatively – because this its their own body, a statement of strength and art but not okay for men and boys to imagine, discuss or attempt to do the same doesn’t wash with me – in my mind we must reject both. And here is the nub of the problem, if you want to claim the high moral ground and hold it, then you have to be willing to accept and the concept of a pervasive and public morality, something that is anathema to modern progressive liberalism.
Most disappointing was the absolute rejection by the organisers of any pro life organisation and by de facto pro life women. The inability to tolerate a different view point about an important human rights issue, to make peace in the name of uniting women against a greater threat – if even for just one day is indicative of the rot that moves within the modern liberal movement. Rights, are increasingly only for those who agree with the progressive world view and a balance of rights that respect diverse views – which by definition should be at the heart of a liberal movement is increasingly absent. This absence of compassion and compromise is hypocritical and cast a shadow over what otherwise was a great event and day.
The Reasonable Conservative 