5 Reasons the 2018 Women’s March Should Give You Hope for The Future

February 28, 2018

At Planned Parenthood, our mission is to empower our community to make choices that are right for them. We do this by employing passionate, genuinely invested individuals who represent the best the world has to offer.

Last month, likeminded people from across the country marched to have their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them.

Californians turned out in droves. We have always been proud of our state, but our hearts swelled to see so many impassioned people come out to support one another.

1. The Numbers.

In Los Angeles alone, over 600,000 were estimated to be in the streets this year. In New York City, an estimated 300,000. There were hundreds of smaller marches across the country as well. That’s a lot of passion.

2. The Diversity.

Though it’s called the Women’s March — we love seeing the pure diversity of the marches across the country. Women of all ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, sexualities and allies of Women turned out to show their support for one another. Not only were all accepted, differences were celebrated in a way that gives us hope for the future.

3. The Issues.

There were hundreds of specific issues, groups and movements taking place under a single name — but the #MeToo movement was front and center. With speakers such as Halsey, Ilana Glazer and Natalie Portman giving impassioned speeches, women (and men) left feeling more empowered than ever to reject tolerance for sexual harassment, assault and coercion.

Planned Parenthood has always been a safe space for those who have survived sexual assault. We are encouraged to see women (and men) across the world come together to take a stand and have their stories heard.

4. The Impact.

What do these marches accomplish? Empowerment. The focus is no longer on creating an environment where women are only comfortable in their own skins and comfortable standing up for themselves without fear of repercussions but on an environment where women are empowered.

According to a recent piece on NPR:

“At latest count, 431 women were running for or were likely to run for the House nationwide — 339 Democrats and 92 Republicans. At this point in 2016, there were fewer than half that: 212. Likewise, 50 women are running for or likely to run for Senate, compared with 25 at this point in 2016.”

5. The Future.

What kind of world would it be if everyone was treated with the respect they deserve? Hopefully, one day we won’t have to imagine it.

For as long as women have to fight for their rights, Planned Parenthood will be here to support them.

If you’re interested in joining our team and providing care for those in our community, please view our openings here.

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