Written In The Signs - ISTD Submission 2018

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I F IGHT LIKE A GI RL Written In The Signs How millions of women united as one to make their voices heard

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Written In The Signs

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Title of the chapter goes here

Contents: CHAPTER 1 p. 1 - 8

The 2016 presidential election CHAPTER 2 p. 9 - 20

Assembling the millions CHAPTER 3 p. 21 - 32

The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters CHAPTER 4 p. 33 - 44

Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

CHAPTER 5 p. 45 - 54

The reaction and the aftermath of the march CHAPTER 6 p. 55 - 66

The future of feminism

Hillary Clinton : Writing in her book ‘What Happened’

How could he attack women, immigrants, Muslims, Mexican Americans, prisoners of war, and people with disabilities - and as a businessman, be accused of scamming countless small businesses, contractors, students, and seniors - and still be elected to the most important and powerful job in the world?

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Chapter 1

The 2016 presidential election

The build up of fourth wave feminism during the 2016 presidential election is what lead to the women’s march on

Hillary herself called ‘vicious’ and how Donald Trump was able to not only get away with it but ultimately win the

Washington. But why and how did we get there? I discuss the campaign that

most powerful job in the world.

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The 2016 presidential election

I’m with her?

Feminism is cool again since women all over the world took to the streets on January 21st 2017 just one day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States.

Their messages were varied in tone of voice and neatness of their handwritten signs but their motive was to show the world that they, at least, did not agree with their country’s leadership decision. Throughout this book, I will use some of the images of the protest signs that the women made to analyse how feminism has made a resurgence in what many had previously discussed as a ‘post feminist’ time. I will discuss how issues like women’s birth control and Donald Trump’s derogatory comments about women can be examined using themes of the body as a part object, stereotypes of the female gender and the class system. Looking back one year later we can start to see where feminism has been taken and how effective the march was.

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Female Trump supporters held signs of their own during the election that were identical and digitally made; likely by someone working for the Trump campaign. They lacked reason for their support and you’ll notice from the photograph that the women are all white, likely middle-class and in a celebratory mood despite not knowing at the time that Trump would surprisingly win the election. However, they have also grouped together, on a smaller scale to the march, to show an image of solidarity in their agreement that Trump is the right person to be their president.

In regards to the state of feminism, there seemed to be gradual progress before the 2016 presidential election especially as we saw the first woman, Hillary Clinton, to be elected as the presidential nominee to a national party. Feminism saw a third wave in the 1990’s and perhaps the women’s march leads us into a fourth wave of feminism but how did we get here?

The 2016 presidential election

By looking at the comments made by Trump during the election which were old fashioned and offensive in regards to how to speak to and about women, people with disabilities and minority groups you start to see the backlash brewing. Although these were reported extensively by the media it seemed to inspire people with similar ideologies

Image : Women for Trump signs being used at a rally during the election in November 2016.

to feel comfortable with going public with their opinions.

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The 2016 presidential election

What else is Make America Great Again but a promise to re-create the past? Through his campaign slogan, Trump seizes the emotional power of nostalgia › Britt Bennett

Donald Trump used his snappy phrase ‘Make America Great Again’ repeatedly, in hat form and in speeches, and it seemed to carry more messages than simply bringing jobs back to America.

Brit Bennett noted in Vogue recently, that it could be read as a “promise to re-create the past, Trump seized the emotional power of nostalgia” and for some white Americans, this created a space for the racism and sexism that we have seen over the last year.

Many young attendees of the march

reminder of how long, women have been fighting for equality and they felt an urgency from these women for change. But also, an incentive as they haven’t given up hope so why should younger women.

were saddened to see women over the age of seventy because it was a

to loose.

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Many believe that Hillary lost the election not because she was a woman but because she was an educated, experienced woman who perhaps threatened some of the issues that people weren’t prepared

The 2016 presidential election

Image : Older marchers displayed a different tone on the signs they carried. One woman described passing a woman in her 60s; her tone and the shaking in her voice her striking. She had an urgency and a power.

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The 2016 presidential election

Watch out Trump, my generation votes next.

Women who are experts apparently scare people or aren’t listened to in the same way that male experts are.

Hillary Clinton even blames herself for not standing up to both Trump and the media for effecting the election to the degree that it was no longer policies that were used to judge how a person would vote.

dangerous remarks made by Donald.

Therefore, fourth wave feminism was built by a shared anger over Trump on a number of issues not just linked to women’s rights but issues that women were interested in and had empathy for. Feminism is after all based on the unitary ‘we’ and a singular shared purpose.

The majority of the media are democratic; hence Trump’s hostility towards the press, but they underestimated their influence on politics in the modern, western world.

Hillary Clinton wonders why they

Image : Two of the youngest marchers at the

chose to exaggerate the seriousness of her email story over the far more

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Washington women’s march sporting their pink ‘pussy’ hats.

The 2016 presidential election

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Chapter 2

Assembling the millions But, most of all, we will march as experts; we will hold up our heads as expert women. For all women are experts, whether in childcare or education, in listening or lawyering, in serving, and, yes, in governing too. › Caroline Walker Bynum

What started as a reaction by a Hawaiian grandmother inviting her facebook friends; grew to become

mobilization ever. It seemed easy for them to assemble over 5 million people across the US to participate

what is being called the largest single-day synchronized global mass

in marches across the country, but of course it took meticulous planning.

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Assembling the millions

Image : Marchers filled the streets of Washington and cities around the world.

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Assembling the millions

Women can only assume that our opinions don’t matter. So women saw their progress towards equality threatened by the very people that had the most control over issues as important as birth control and equal

one another. The reason for the march was clear for the women that chose to take part; that they would show the world that they, as Americans, resisted Trump from day one. That the decision for him to be president was not a unanimous one. As you can see above on one marcher’s sign who hand wrote in black and white their message. It looks to be on a piece of white cardboard and they have cut a

pay as well as setting a precedent for what’s acceptable in how we treat

handle to make it easier to hold for as long as the march was happening,

Actress Amber Tamblyn said recently that “Donald Trump’s election was a singular pointed message at women telling us that our lives don’t matter”.

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Assembling the millions

I had the same view Trump did up there on the platform. Unlike him, I could compare it to what I had seen at inaugurals since 1993. I understood why he became so defensive. There really was a difference. › Hillary Clinton

they would not put down their sign.

Their resistance was made even clearer through comparisons of the attendance of Donald’s inauguration less than 24 hours earlier, that America was not unanimous in its election result.

Trump’s reaction to the march was a sarcastic observation that he had thought America had just had an

not in place Hillary Clinton would be president due to her winning the majority of the votes. Mary Donaldson writes that voting would not be enough anymore “as simply being aware of what’s going on in our government and caring about the state of our country is not enough.

I have to try to create the world I want to live in.”

election which of course was true and were the electoral college system

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The marches across the United States of America are illustrated with a pink ‘pussy hat’.

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Assembling the millions

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Assembling the millions

Within the first two to three days of us announcing the march, sister cities—not just in the United States, but in countries such as Italy, Australia, Switzerland, England—rose to the challenge immediately and answered the call. The solidarity marches started almost simultaneously. › Mrinalini Chakraborty

People flew across the country to take part; to be seen in as a mass group in the physical sense in Trump’s new back garden instead of in tweets that

Some might describe the signs as going back to how people used to show their dismay through protest signs without getting lost in a social-media feed. As activism and democratic movements live increasingly online, physical signs are a rarity as Fernanda Zamudio describes. Their choice of unpretentious materials such as collage, glitter, letters cut out of paper showed their humanity and individuality as citizens with opinions

go unnoticed and make little effect in opposition to his own tweets.

and voices that want to be heard.

The organisation of the march started

Yes, America did have an election but the march wasn’t about Democrats being sore losers but realising that they would have to do their own work to keep the progression of feminism and to fight for equality, which shouldn’t be an issue for a Western country in 2017.

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Assembling the millions

with a grandmother the day after the election, inviting forty of her friends to join her in a march on Washington but within a matter of 24 hours it had gone viral. She handed over the reins to a number of women who used connections and new alliances with large organisations such as Planned Parenthood to spread the word and plan the logistics of the march.

more controversial than others as Madonna was scolded for her graphic chant to blow up the White House.

This of course was not the message the women were intending as they peacefully marched holding their signs that varied in style but ultimately all had the demand for equality and fairness from their new president.

They were joined by a number of celebrities who promoted the march and also gave impassioned speeches to the crowd; some were

Image : Marchers across the country braved the weather conditions to participate.

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Assembling the millions

Image : Singer MILCK attended the march and rallied people with her song “Quiet� which is about women standing up for themselves.

It was sang repeatedly during the day and remains the anthem for the march.

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Assembling the millions

I can’t keep quiet

Lyrics to “Quiet” Put on your face Know your place Shut up and smile Don’t spread your legs I could do that But no one knows me, no one ever will If I don’t say something, if I just lie still Would I be that monster, scare them all away. If I let the-em hear what I have to say.

I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh. I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh. A one woman riot, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Cuz’ no one knows me no one ever will. If I don’t say something, take that dry blue pill. They may see that monster, they may run away.

But I have to do this, do it anyway I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh. I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh. A one woman riot, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh I can’t keep quiet Let it out Let it out Let it out now There’ll be someone who understands Let it out! Let it out! Let it out now!

Must be someone who’ll understand Let it out Let it out Let it out now There’ll be someone who understands Let it out! Let it out! Let it out now!

I can’t keep quiet.

I can’t keep quiet For anyone Anymore

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Assembling the millions

The women wanted to march to protect their rights, maintain the progress of feminism and to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable in society. But more urgently, with Hillary Clinton describing the election campaign as vicious, the march was to not normalise the toxic, divisive rhetoric of the election�.

Joining together to show their dismay, perhaps made them feel that they were actively participating in affecting change. The march was organised as a response to the election and Donald Trump’s presidency but it was also a move that women felt was necessary to stop the reversal of feminism in its tracks. Trump was setting a precedent that was rippling through the country and women felt that this was their chance to make their voices be heard.

Image : A woman wearing one of the many pink pussy hats that made a birds eye view of the march a sea of pink.

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Assembling the millions

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Chapter 3

The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters With the women’s march being the first protest for most of the attendees, they needed to express their emotions

protest tool of the election. Their style of sign varied with some opting for handwritten messages and others

in the form of a protest sign instead of on twitter; which became the

using illustrations or photographs to display their voice.

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

Image : A couple at the women’s march who decided to use cardboard to handwrite their messages on.

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

Your laws will destroy the dreams of millions.

Most of the women who attended were white and middle class and have probably never felt their rights threatened before compared to women of colour or lower class who have faced injustice and prejudice their whole lives.

Therefore, many people criticised how white women were only stepping up to protest when they, themselves felt discriminated against. Mary Donaldson writes that “White women must do more to include diverse women if we are ever going to make effective change” and in the organisation of the march they made sure to not focus on one issue but all issues that arose through Trump’s comments but also longer standing issues in America including racism.

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Image : Two Mexican women display signs that relate to Trump’s comments about Mexican people and his continued promise to build a wall between the US and Mexican border. They have chosen cardboard for their signs and are also joining other women by wearing a pussy hat.

The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

White women must do more to include diverse women if we are ever going to make effective change. › Mary Donaldson 25

The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

However, this made for a confusing message that made the women’s march different to other protests in history such as the civil rights movement which had one clear message, repeated until it succeeded.

With every marcher holding a sign that said something slightly different it was unlikely for those in power to listen.

ethnicity, nationality, caste, and sexual orientation, in addition to race, class, and gender says Sharon Krause.

Therefore, fourth wave feminism has become women’s mission for global equality which sounds an awful lot like world peace. So perhaps it is trying to take on too much and needs to save that for eighth wave feminism.

On the other hand, feminism is now known to observe internationality, or sensitivity to the divergent ways that the multiple aspects of our identities affect our political experience. The

Images : (Left) A woman with serious

approach to feminism now infuses global feminisms, it covers religion,

concerns at the march. (Right) A man protesting seemingly for the first time.

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

Make America love again.

Images : (Above) A group of young women holding their signs that are all about female empowerment. (Below) Two black women who carried signs that showed their dismay at the election results in a more urgent tone.

Brit Bennett described how her “mother had already experienced so much humiliation and fear. She shouldn’t have to worry” about her daughter’s safety. There were some signs that called out the 53% of white women that voted for Trump, while 94% of black women voted for Hillary Clinton. It is highly likely that the white women who voted

ladies wanted to show that women have to work together and share the same goal in order to achieve a state of feminism that works for everyone.

Their signs were as simple as the ones that homeless people hold in desperation for help; marker pen on cardboard. Perhaps they were feeling desperation of their own with police violence against black people and the general animosity between races in America rising again. They may have also chosen this style of sign to differ from the pink and sparkly ones some women were carrying, to create

for Trump were not participating in any march in the country, but these

their own narrative in the face of encroaching sameness and banality.

Women of colour had different messages that included the black lives matter movement and their anger of equality going backwards.

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

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Claudia Sbrissa : Writing for ‘The Poetics of the Handmade’

There is power in the act of being made by hand, eliciting a physical response that provides authenticity and a sense of shared experience.

Our desire to create our own narrative in the face of encroaching sameness and banality. The repositioning and re-contextualization of everyday materials becomes a metaphor for our own transformation and re-engagement with the world.

Image : A young Caucasian girl carries a sign written by herself that represents her acknowledgement of the world around her.

To look at the attendance of so many white women on a positive note the result is an explosion of knowledge about the lived experience of differently placed and multiplypositioned women who will hopefully continue their feminist action by supporting equality for all. To lend their voice to something beyond a Trump protest but for the fourth wave feminism movement of not letting it be a slow progression anymore.

To refuse not being listened to, in favour of men with the same ideas ten minutes later and to use their voices with others to effect change.

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

Images : The range in protest signs is due to the range in handwriting style and artistic talent. Some drew detailed illustrations whilst others used whatever they could get their hands on.

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The glitter, cardboard and cut out letters

I fight like a girl

The women’s march created a new generation of feminists that are learning about the history of feminism and their place in moving it forward.

As well as their responsibility in moving the causes of those more vulnerable forward. Realising their place in society as people who can be let down by those in power also shows them that there have been people in that situation for much longer. Their signs showed their humanity, each person’s penmanship, choice of felt-tip pen and additional illustrations were personal to their protest in the march.

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Chapter 4

Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language The tone of voice in a protest is very important because the people participating are there to affect change

The signs at the women’s march varied drastically from some displaying serious, urgent messages and others

so if there message isn’t clear it won’t be effective.

had funny jabs at the new president.

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

Knit your own pussy hat: Yarn: 210 yd per 100 grams, in pink Needles: US 8/ 5mm straight Gauge: 18 sts, 23 rows = 4” in St st Finished size: before seaming 11” wide and 17 1/4” long. CO 50 sts. Leave a long tail for seaming. Rib: K1 * k2, p2; rep from * end p1. Work Rib for 4 1/4”.

Work in Stockinette (knit right side rows, purl wrong side rows) until piece measures 13” from cast on edge.

Begin Rib on right side row. Rib: P1 * p2, k2; rep from * end k1. Work Rib for 4 1/4”. Piece measures 17 1/4” from cast on edge. Bind off all stitches. Cut yarn leaving a long tail for seaming.

Fold hat in half and sew each side seam. Weave in loose ends. Put on hat, and the cat ears will appear!

Pussy Hat Instructions : A pattern for the pussy hat was shared online so that everyone could make one for the march and to make more for other marchers.

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

Many of the signs used some of what Trump has said and reversed the language to fight back with their signs and to take back ownership of certain words like hombre, nasty [women] and pussy.

Each of those words were used in a derogatory tone and that shows that our fights for justice are not mutually exclusive but linked to each other.

Therefore, it was incredibly important that the movement centred the voices of those who are often silenced.

Trump had made offensive comments about a number of minority groups in America as well as half of the population; women; but of course not everyone was offended enough to not vote for Trump.

Images : Signs that included the phrases; Nasty women make (Her)story, tax paying bad hombre, ninety nasty and not giving up, nasty women love bad hombres and you can’t comb over racism.

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

Such practices of self-representation significantly heightened the visibility of disenfranchised groups to those outside their community, and thus altered the terrain of not only American politics, but also popular culture. › Mary Kearney, Girls Make Media

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

Images : All of these cardboard sign use the “Grab ‘em by the pussy” remark made

by Trump to reverse the language and take back ownership of the very language used to objectify them as women.

The only response left for women who do know what they’re talking about — and on a range of issues, from childcare to gun control to immigration to race and sexual identity — seems to be to march. › Caroline Walker Bynum

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

Feminists come in every colour, except orange.

They chose to overlook them believing that his policies were worth it despite his outbursts. Using the words also meant that they were able to attract more attention because of their previous connotation and encourages a greater sense of connection and intimacy between the subject and viewer in the hope of creating empathy because these are the people that were offended by Trump’s comments.

That way, it may capture someone’s attention and raise awareness for the issue at hand.

Image : Cardboard signs with statements about Trump’s conduct on twitter and attitudes regarding what rights he wants to change.

either ignored or misrepresented by the media industries and so the marchers were attempting to establish some control over popular culture and representational politics by independently producing their own forms of media.

With Donald Trump able to brush off every remark as a misunderstanding

Trump targeted his election campaign to those in middle America who had grown disenfranchised with the US government after many had lost their jobs in the last decade. However, in the process he has made the rest of the population feel disenfranchised, proving that it is incredibly difficult to please everyone politically but he

or “locker room talk” there is a feeling that those hurt by him were

didn’t even try that with his conduct during the election.

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

A handmade symbol of women’s solidarity

From the outrage that followed Trump’s toxic and aggressively sexist admission to grabbing women ‘by the pussy’ came the most visually effective and internationally recognised symbol of the protest this century - the pink pussyhat. The vision of Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman, this project was launched in advance of the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017.

It spread across continents via social media, as hundreds of thousands of people downloaded the rudimentary, open-source knitting pattern. The sea of pink marching on cities around the world that day was more than just a moment, it became a movement. › Libby Sellers, Design Museum

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

The pink pussyhat has been inducted into the Design Museum in London as it became the symbol for the march and a response to Donald’s

Women’s March in January 2017 and spread around the world and the basic open source knitting pattern was downloaded and copied resulting in

famous grabbing statement. It was launched ahead of the Washington

seas of pink, visible solidarity against Trump and his like.

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

Image : A woman and her child holding a sign that represented the range of issues that were trying to be covered in this march and how white women need to recognise their power in furthering these issues.

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Puns, facts and the reversal of Trump’s language

...our fights for justice are not

mutually exclusive but linked to each other. Therefore, it was incredibly

important that our movement centred the voices of those who are often silenced.

› Mrinalini Chakraborty, march organiser.

The amount of issues being discussed at the march are illustrated in this marcher’s sign who has chosen to put five different statements and uses a rainbow colour theme, which is an important symbol in the Bible, representing a promise of peace from God to Noah. The women’s march has been heralded as one of the most unapologetically progressive, comprehensive, and inclusive to

intersectional and intergenerational demographic. Women of all races and backgrounds coming together, sharing their voice for each other’s issues is the ideal future of feminism as everyone’s issue can receive a higher level of protest in order to reach that goal of equality for all.

People described the camaraderie and passion that people carried with them as they viewed it as their chance to

ever come out of a movement that encompasses such a diverse,

speak about the election in a peaceful way, with like-minded people.

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Chapter 5

The reaction and the aftermath of the march I couldn’t help but ask where those feelings of solidarity, outrage, passion had been during the election. › Hillary Clinton

The march was broadcast all over the world and it certainly earned a reaction from Trump himself but

I’ll look into how the reaction to the march was influenced by the signs and how their peaceful approach may have

what was it and how did it impact his actions and other Americans.

not worked in their favour.

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The reaction and the aftermath of the march

It was on a weekend, in a Democratic city, in a Democratic region. › New York Times

After an initial, sarcastic response from Trump, he tweeted “peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don’t always agree, I recognise the rights of people to express their view”. Which was probably the first diplomatic response from Trump, assuming it was his words and not an advisor.

However, this was followed with more comments about the viewing figures of his inauguration being so large; likely to move the focus on from the march. Hillary’s reaction was similar in that she “couldn’t help but ask where those feelings of solidarity, outrage,

passion had been during the election” but did have a lot of praise and admiration for the march and ongoing movement. The march was a reaction to the shock that the result wasn’t what was expected and it was about how to make a difference in the future.

The media reaction was mixed with some putting the difference in attendance of the inauguration down to the march being on a Saturday versus a weekday, Washington being in a Democratic region where 92% had voted for Hillary.

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The reaction and the aftermath of the march

I was young in the Sixties. We marched for civil rights; then we marched to stop a war. Of immense importance and complexity, these were single issues. › Caroline Walker Bynum, Common Knowledge

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The reaction and the aftermath of the march

They also commented on how there was no single theme, the crowd was too white and that it will be difficult to sustain the movement. However, the diversity of issues was the main objective of the march as it all

of fourth wave feminism, equality for all and to share the responsibility of protesting for change in order to achieve that. But did the march work?

It did successfully mobilise hundreds of thousands of first-time activists

contributes to the common agenda

and if they are mainly white then that would be a positive step forward and their contribution will only help the causes of others.

However, it has to be said that with so many issues being discussed we have seen little to no effect in government, as yet. The signs ranged in tone of voice, visual style and lacked a clear, single message, whereas protests in history such as the civil rights movement which repeated its demands until they were fulfilled.

Their signs only received attention for their clever quips and unapologetic statements; rather than leaving us with the impression that the signs had the potential to move us beyond the surface, to uncover the possibilities of what lies beneath and why they need to be listened to.

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The reaction and the aftermath of the march

This all has to be saved.

Posters from the rally in Boston will be catalogued and archived. The signs were pink, blue, black, white.

Some were hoisted with wooden sticks, and others were held in protesters’ hands. A few sparkled with glitter, and some had original designs, created on computers with the help of a few internet memes. › Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez

One collection of signs, discarded after the march, were saved from being disposed of and will be archived.

Not just to remember the clever quips, but about understanding the women’s movement and sentiment around the march. They can provide a comparison between those from the 1960s and ‘70s, which read statements like ‘women of the world unite’ and ‘equality, the time is now’.

instinctively thought “this all has to be saved.” It was one very large mobilization in a country that no longer has very large mobilizations and so it should be talked about as a major part of feminism in the 21st century.

Nathan Felde, a design professor at

Brit Bennett noted that what a country chooses to enshrine reflects what it values and so to value the constitution of freedom of speech and the right to protest means that keeping the signs

Northeastern University, who saved the signs in Boston, said that he

should be inducted as the voices of a generation of women.

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The reaction and the aftermath of the march

Image : A collection of discarded signs from one of the marches. This is just a snapshot of the creativity, anger, resilience and compassion that was displayed at marches around the world.

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The future of feminism

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Chapter 6

The future of feminism Many on the left and centreleft have said that the Women’s March was a turning point in the current socio-political climate, a reset button of sorts. › Ashwini Tambe With the march being the beginning of an awareness of feminism for many women and young girls, we can

benefit of looking to the march one year later and whether the recruitment of millions of women has impacted

speculate what the future of feminism should now be. We also have the

feminism and to what extent.

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The future of feminism

What the march did most successfully, was to make young people awake to the state of feminism and aware

to social media and how heavily the election played out online, so the march gave young people and children the opportunity to take part in the conversation and to initiate their relationship to feminism.

The Women’s March was a turning point in the current socio-political climate, a reset button of sorts as a reaction to where Trump was taking

of their own ability to effect change.

They were engaged due to their access

the divide between Republicans and Democrats so far that members of

Images : (Left) Young women using their voice to show that they are aware of politics at their young age and will work towards protecting their rights. (Right) Young men attending the march and engaging with the movement.

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The future of feminism

the same family weren’t talking and race relations were in a state of crisis not seen since before the civil rights movement. Older marchers said at the march “you are the next generation... now I know we are in good hands� showing that they believe the younger generation will take over the reins of feminism to continue its progression. What will be different

women took their sons and brothers went with their sisters; men are beginning to see their responsibility in the movement towards equality for all. Just as white women need to play their part in helping women of colour, men must have the same goal for equality in order for it to withstand any opposition.

for fourth wave feminism will be men and boys part in the movement as

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The future of feminism

The flipping of a switch that saw women just say, I’m done.

Fourth wave feminism is on the trajectory to be unapologetic and ruthless. We can look back at the march, one year later, and can see whether people are still discussing the march.

Trump’s first year hasn’t gone one day without a controversial statement or change in government law that hasn’t upset anyone. With the #MeToo movement filling the news as many women have come forward with sexual assault and harassment claims from some of the most famous and powerful men; Trump included. You can’t help but think that after Trump’s

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Image : A sign with a message that proved very popular at this march and many others since. It is the urgent definition of the word feminism that women want people to understand.

campaign women have had enough of being discriminated against. Actress Amber Tamblyn even claimed that the recent allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Harvey Weinstein would not have surfaced if Hillary Clinton had been elected last year”.

Fourth wave feminism will ideally be the final nail in the coffin to say that ‘feminism is the radical notion that women are people’ and that Western women will not stand for anything less than being treated as equals to men and with respect.

The future of feminism

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The future of feminism

I will not go quietly back to the 1950’s.

Ultimately, fourth wave feminism will be faced with trying to fix the toxic rhetoric that politics has become in order to elect a government that stands for equality for all.

that “feminism needs to be able to think beyond the limits of the actual, but it also needs to be informed and guided by the lived experiences and aspirations of real women.”

The sister marches that sparked out of the march on Washington focused on relevant local issues and calls to action that made sense for their city/state/country showing how the march on Washington has sparked a new wave of feminism across the Western world. Sharon Krause says

Therefore, feminism needs to be about issues concerning our humanity overall not just what affects middle class, white women. This broader view will continue the trajectory that women have worked for centuries to achieve, where we need all of us to effect change.

What was interesting, was that the sister marches also focused their individual messaging on relevant local issues and calls to action that made sense for their city/state/country. › Mrinalini Chakraborty, march organiser.

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The future of feminism

Uniting as one, to make each voice heard

In conclusion, fourth wave feminism is and will be the movement of women from all ethnicities and classes joining their concerns together to work towards equality for all. It is a world peace level of goals that require that shared responsibility of all issues because on their own, it will not be achieved. My opinion is that The Women’s March may have had too many goals to achieve that day but if the movement is sustained and grows then it will start to achieve smaller victories that they can all take responsibility for.

march and those who critiqued the march enabled me to understand the whole progression of the march and how it formed this new wave of feminism. Their words provide the variation of opinions that represent the diversity of the protest and how it can be viewed from positive and critical angles.

The introduction to young women of what protests can do was one of the main successes as it was showing their actions can have positive consequences outside of their online activity and proving their voice

As we watch the Trump administration make mistakes, some catastrophic for many Americans, we can continue to analyse the messages from the march and whether the level of fight can be sustained over his presidency and beyond in order to achieve a government that shares their ideals. Their signs can also be analysed to look at the culture of protesting and how the statements made by the younger members of the

matters. Reading the many points of view from people who attended the

protest change as they develop their relationship to feminism.

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The future of feminism

Image : January 21st 2017 was a day when women all over the world seized an opportunity to come together as one, to use their voices to show their messages.

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The future of feminism

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The future of feminism

You’re the next generation...

Now I know we’re in good hands.

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References

Image Sources : 1 / Fight like a girl - Alanna Vagianos. 2 / Hillary Clinton cut out wearing Pussy Hat - Bastiaan Slabbers. 3 / Women for Trump - C, Somodevilla. 4 / Your laws will destory the dreams of millions - Alanna Vagianos. 5 / I will not go quietly back to the 1950’s - Alanna Vagianos. 6 / Women’s rights are human rights - Damon Dahlen. 7 / Crowd of marchers Mobilus In Mobili. 8 / Let history show America resisted Trump from day one - Getty Images.

9 / Map showing marches across the USA - Alice Robinson. 10 / Celebrity marchers - C, Sheppard. 11 / Marchers in the snow - Robin Wood. 12 / I can’t keep quiet - Alma Harel.

13 / Woman in pussy hat - The Denver Post. 14 / Super callous facist racist…etc. - Alanna Vagianos. 15 / Make America love again - @malucamala. 16 / Not usually a sign guy but geez - Kylie Flett. 17 / Group of young women marchers - @oliviacardinale. 18 / Black women tried to save y’all - A, Arsenault. 19 / Little girls with dreams, become women with vision - Damon Dahlen. 20 / Girl Power - Damon Dahlen. 21 / White women: we have a lot to make up for @ellevhall. 22 / A girl should be two things who and what she wants - Ben Steinberger. 23 / Pussy hat - Time Magazine. 24 / Nasty Women Make (Her)story - Damon Dahlen. 25 / Tax paying bad hombre - @dea_arthur. 26 / Ninety, nasty and not giving up - @emilylhauser. 27 / Nasty women love bad hombres - Getty Images. 28 / You can’t comb over racism - Getty Images. 29 / Grab ‘em by the patriarchy - @luckytran. 30 / My neck, my back, my pussy will grab back - Alanna Vagianos. 31 / Pussy trumps tyranny - Alanna Vagianos. 32 / Tweet women with respect - @youngadventure. 33 / Keep your tiny hands off my rights - Getty Images. 34 / Hey Trump! Women are people too (hats) - Shannon Stapleton. 35 / Love is love, women’s rights…etc. - Steve Exum. 36 / There comes a time when silence = betrayal - Pacific Press/ Getty Images. 37 / If you aren’t horrified, you aren’t paying attention - Getty Images. 38 / This is very bad - Ted Soqui. 39 / A place at the table for all - Orion Pahl. 40 / Collection of signs that have been saved - @thehungryhungrywanderluster. 41 / We can, we will, we did, rise up Getty Images. 42 / Girl power - @temerityjewelry. 43 / Watch out Trump, my generation votes next - Shannon Stapleton. 44 / Rights take might - Alanna Vagianos. 45 / Feminism is the radical notion that women are people - @erinschaff. 46 / I can’t believe I still have to protest this fucking shit - Mara Hoffman. 47 / Women in pink pussy hats - Amanda Voisard. 48 / We need leaders not in love with money…etc. - @aresenac10.

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References

Research Bibliography : Bennett, Brit. 2017. “I Thought It Would Be Better for You”: A Mother, A Daughter, and Racism in America in 2017.” Vogue Magazine. / Bynum, Caroline Walker. 2017. “The Women’s March: New York, January 21, 2017.” Common Knowledge. / Clinton, Hillary Rodham. 2017. What Happened. / Dezelan, Tomaz., and Alem Maksuti. 2016.

“Humanist Propaganda: The poster as a visual medium of communication used by ‘new’ social movements.” Donaldson, Mary Grace. 2017. “Millennial Voices from the Women’s March.” / Hessel, Katy. 2017. “How has Instagram enabled female artists globally to thrive?” It’s Nice That. / Kearney, Mary Celeste. 2006. Girls Make Media. / Krause, Sharon R. 2011. “Contested Questions, Current Trajectories: Feminism in Political Theory Today.” / Sbrissa, Claudia. 2008.

“The Poetics of the Handmade.” The Journal of Modern Craft. / Siebert, Valerie. 2017. “Every woman just went, “I’m done”’: Amber Tamblyn claims that the allegations against Harvey Weinstein would have never surfaced if Hillary Clinton had been elected.” The Daily Mail. / Tambe, Ashwini. 2017. “The Women’s March on Washington: Words from an Organiser.” / Wagner, John. 2017. “Trump takes to Twitter to weigh in on Women’s March, TV ratings for inauguration” The Washington Post. / Wallace, Tim., and Alicia Parlapiano. 2017. “Crowd Scientists Say Women’s March in Washington Had 3 Times as Many People as Trump’s Inauguration.” The New York Times. / Wickman, Forrest. 2012. “A Rainbow Marriage - How did the rainbow become a symbol of gay pride?” Slate. / Zamudio-Suarez, Fernanda. 2017. “In Discarded Women’s March Signs, Professors Saw a Chance to Save History.” The Chronicle of Higher Education.

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Written In The Signs

But, most of all, we will march as experts; we will hold up our heads as expert women. For all women are experts, whether in childcare or education, in listening or lawyering, in serving, and, yes, in governing too. › Caroline Walker Bynum

The book is a celebration of the women’s march on Washington that took place on January 21st 2017 just one day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as the President of the United States. It tells the story of how millions of women across the world united as one to protest a range of issues they were passionate about. It writes these women into history for their achievement in the feminist movement. The march was born out of a vicious election which saw Trump insult and shock the country and the world with his comments that made many feel that he was doing anything but ‘making America great again’. This book will look to the signs that were carried during the march and how their messages varied in message and tone and what they contributed to what is being called fourth wave feminism. It will use the very words of the marchers as well as those who have analysed and critiqued the march to create a well rounded account of it’s impact.

Written In The Signs » By Alice Robinson