Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Opinion / Columns / The feminist wave is dying and I’m disappointed
Emily Guajardo

The feminist wave is dying and I’m disappointed

March 24, 2017 by Emily Guajardo

Ladies, what happened!? Right from the get-go of 2017, you strived to make a name for yourselves. You marched around the White House in protest, wore pink hats to represent our bodies and held signs that read ‘I am a woman and proud. Here me roar’ all for the sake to it be labeled as a hype, a trend, a fluke.

The sun was beginning to turn a shade of hot pink and fiery red until you let the flame burn out. On January 21, 2017, women across the world left their heels at home, went out into the freezing or scorching temperatures and held their heads up high in defiance against the patriarchy, inequality and for basic human rights. Over 500,000 women marched in Washington, D.C. alone with over 4.2 million people marching across 600 cities on the seven continents combined.

It is considered the largest single-day demonstration in U.S history, but like a good party or joke, its time of prominence ceased.

Now the world has moved on and you have placed yourselves back into your seats. You have reverted back to our old, primitive, stable and unchanging ways of looking at life as a woman- the little moment of defiance and rebellion seemed like only a phrase. The wave is ceasing and the hype was died down. The feminist movement has failed to execute a real plan for change.

The spark has faded. And I am really disappointed.

I am disappointed that the phrases of ‘over one million women stood’, or ‘it’s my body and my right’, or even ‘this is for the girls beside me’ has made little to no significant value. Because it turns out that women only care about the burst of national attention, but were never ready to pull through. It’s been over 63 days and not a peep has been made since January. Even the small push on International Women’s day made no real significance- be honest, it was sad to watch unfold. The only actual significance that has come out of the “rebellion” or “feminist movement” is that office supplies and poster sales went up because of how many people went to buy a poster and some markers just to write a phrase that would eventually be thrown away. According to the Business Insider, office supplies sales in January rose 42% and over 6.5 million posters were sold across the United States calling it the ‘Trump Bump’.

The feminist wave is dying and it’s because women have become satisfied with what they’ve already achieved. They have lost the urge to fight. And for that I am disappointed. They have decided to head home after winning just one battle. And for that I am disappointed. They have allowed for small girls to see that history can be made, but women can only make some much of it. And for that I am, again, disappointed.

Should I hang up my sign and let the dust of pain and inequality cover the words that once meant something bigger than myself? Should I tell my future children that I was a part of another version of Woodstock- an event where women actually seemed to want to change something, but accomplished nothing?

Perhaps, I’ve mistaken this movement for just another terminal hashtag- one that I knew would eventually die out. Little did I know that it would only took 24 hours for an entire idea to be thrown out by the very people who started it.

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

Other Opinion:

  • Skipping class is a drug

  • Athletics have a lack of traditions leading to low engagement from students

  • Directionless but encouraged: My experience on The College Tour’s film set

About Emily Guajardo

Arts and Features Editor from San Antonio, TX
Hobbies: Reading heroine novels, eating chinese food and working out.

You are here: Home / Opinion / Columns / The feminist wave is dying and I’m disappointed

Other Opinion:

  • Skipping class is a drug

  • Athletics have a lack of traditions leading to low engagement from students

  • Directionless but encouraged: My experience on The College Tour’s film set

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
25 Jan

Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. Read more:

https://acuoptimist.com/2023/01/student-life-implements-new-software-for-spring-rushing-season/

Reply on Twitter 1618294775052144640 Retweet on Twitter 1618294775052144640 Like on Twitter 1618294775052144640 Twitter 1618294775052144640
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
23 Jan

The Abilene community came together Monday to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a peaceful walk through the streets of the city. Read more: https://acuoptimist.com/2023/01/gallery-martin-luther-king-jr-walk-gathers-hundreds-of-abilene-community-members/

Reply on Twitter 1617595967737298950 Retweet on Twitter 1617595967737298950 Like on Twitter 1617595967737298950 3 Twitter 1617595967737298950

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

3 hours ago

The Optimist
Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Student life implements new software, updates rushing process - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. The Campus Director software has an algorithm programmed to match rushe...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 months ago

The Optimist
The university will receive nearly $30 million from the estate of the late Dr. Bill and Janie Dukes. The gift will go towards establishing the Dr. William P. and Janie B. Dukes Excellence in Finance Endowment supporting student scholarships and endowed faculty positions. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Historic gift given to college of business - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

The university will receive nearly $30 million from the estate of the late Dr. Bill and Janie Dukes. The gift will go towards establishing the Dr. William P. and Janie B. Dukes Excellence in Finance E...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Tune in to this week's newscast for a look at Greek Life rushing, the annual ... [Read More…]

  • Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved