I love the Women's March oh so very much. Last year was so emotional for me as far as the state of our nation and just how mind-fuckingly terrible people were acting. I feel like I've reached a point of acclimation with how terrible people are (like, really really terrible) but the Women's March continues to be a place where a shit ton of people come together to say that they're committed to equality and justice.
This was C's first year and he was hesitant to go. I think he expected a lot of man-bashing and anger. However, he loved it too! He kept saying how amazed he was by how many causes were represented, and how they all fell under the women's rights movement. I explained to him that the core of the women's movement right now is "Don't be a jerk" and that that sentiment is relevant in so many different areas. Welcome to intersectional feminism. I think it also helped that I got him a shirt that made him incredibly popular. I think he had his picture taken at least 50 times. And we had to explain to more than one lovely middle-aged white woman that "Pendejo" is not a nice word to say in mixed company :)
Every time an event like this comes up, I'm conflicted. Firstly, FOMO. Secondly, I want my kids to have these experiences. I want their worldview expanded and for them to be brave, take risks, participate, and stand up for what they believe in. I want them to remember that they were there. I think it's really, really important, especially for my girls, to see everyone come together in opposition of all the awful fuckery that's going on. But I also want to keep them safe. Anytime I imagine big crowds, especially big political crowds, I wonder if I'm being irresponsible by taking them. I don't know if it's a "me" thing or an "us" thing, but I am REALLY nervous in big groups like this (they were predicting 30k+).
So after much back and forth internal back and forth I decided that I needed to model for my kids standing up for what I believed in, even if it was a little scary. I was so grateful that C could go too, but I still wrote my number on each kid's forearm and "With 3 kids" on my hand. And I am so, so glad that I went. Less glad that Syd helpfully described her dad's shirt to her teacher (aka Ms. Honey personified) on Monday, but so so glad that we went and that my kids get to be a part of that.