RUTHFULLY YOURS

To demonstrate their opposition to male sexual misconduct, women in Hollywood wore black to the Golden Globes awards this week.  To demonstrate their opposition to male sexual misconduct, women in Congress plan to wear black to President Donald J. Trump (R)’s first State of the Union address in a few weeks.  To demonstrate their opposition to the surprising (to them) election of Trump, last year, women across the country – indeed, across the world – joined in large gatherings called Women’s Marches, many of them donning awkwardly shaped pink (a female color) so-called pussy hats, based on a statement the new president had made in private a decade ago.

(And yes, Trump’s election – did I mention the shock? – instead of President Bill Clinton [D]’s sexual misconduct-enabler wife was the raison d’être for the latter female temper tantrum.)

Those caps are now collectors’ items.  In the year since the Women’s March, many women, especially in the entertainment and political arenas, have gone public about their experiences with male inappropriate sexual behavior, ranging from unpleasant remarks and actions to actual rape and violence, mostly at the hands of liberal, feminism-professing males.  So at this year’s Women’s March – and yes, there will be another one, because…well, Trump is still president – most women will not be re-wearing the symbolic headgear.  Why not?

(Computer and phone safety trigger warning alert: Clear your mouth of all food and liquids so as not to ruin your computer’s or phone’s keyboard when you burst out laughing.)

OK, ready?  According to Kristen Shamus of the Detroit Free Press:

The reason: The sentiment that the pink pussy[] hat excludes and is offensive to transgender women [sic; that is, men who consider themselves women –ed.] and gender non[-]binary people [sic; who knows? –ed.] who don’t have typical female genitalia [sic!] and to women of color because their genitals are more likely to be brown than pink.

“I personally won’t wear one because if it hurts even a few people’s feelings, then I don’t feel [as though] it’s unifying,” said Phoebe Hopps, founder and president of Women’s March Michigan and organizer of anniversary marches Jan. 21 in Lansing and Marquette. …

The state and national organizations, she said, have tried “to move away from the pussy[] hats for several months now, and are not making it the cornerstone of our messaging because … there’s a few things wrong with the message.

“It doesn’t sit well with a group of people that feel that the pink pussy[] hats are either vulgar or they are upset that they might not include trans women [sic] or nonbinary [sic] women or maybe women whose (genitals) are not pink.” …

The Women’s March chapter in Pensacola, Fla.[] posted to its Facebook page that it is discouraging marchers from wearing the hats to this year’s event. …

“The Pensacola Women’s March organizers understand that this idea was a knee-jerk reaction to the heinous, sexist, misogynistic Trump administration, but it is also just that: a knee-jerk reaction, not fully thought out. Therefore, we ask that march[-]goers refrain from wearing this hat and instead, pick an alternative headwear that focuses on collective women’s liberation for ALL women: transgender women [sic], multinational women, disabled women, queer women – the most marginalized. It is only through the centering and leadership of these groups that women will be liberated – not through exclusionary white feminism, which the Pink P*ssy Hat is indicative of.

What is upsetting to me and many other people is the stupidity; the ignorance; the twisted, distorted language; and the divisiveness from the leaders of the Women’s March.  And their racism and bigotry.  We so want them to move away from that.