In the year 2018, many of us are still shocked and disappointed that our president is, well, needless to say, the man he is. As activists across the country have been fighting for the past two years since the election to get him out of office, it is disturbing to know that men with similar allegations held against them are still being voted or considered to be voted into office. It is a very difficult time for many, but a lot of us are still wondering, what can we do to create change in the leadership of our country?
Sure, we can post articles or comments about our opinions on the subject, but in the end, what does that really do in terms of change? Mother and daughter Nadine and Margot Bloch, longtime activists, thought of a way to effectively make a statement at the hearing of Brett Kavanaugh without really having to say a word. The two women brought together other women in their community to attend the hearing in September dressed as handmaid’s in red robes and white bonnets. This was to symbolize a woman’s place in the book and the television show The Handmaid’s Tale. The women walked in front of Capitol Hill in lines of two, remaining silent as heads turned and people talked.
Nadine and Margot knew that this man, appointed by Donald Trump, is an enormous threat to our country. They could not stand idly by as a Republican who is against a woman’s right to choose, birth control, conserving our planet and a number of other issues is even considered to be voted into office. They knew that bright red robes and funky hats could at least start a conversation of what our future as women could potentially turn into. Yes, The Handmaid’s Tale may seem like a bit of a stretch, but by no means is it impossible as women’s rights are being stripped away each year by men who cannot even fathom what it means to us.
Nadine and her daughter Margot both go back and forth in their article sharing their experiences at this event, how they felt, what they saw, and how they were treated. Something Nadine talked about that I thought was very compelling and important was how she raised her daughter Margot. Nadine has been a nonviolent activist and trainer for 30 years, and when she gave birth to Margot, she knew she would work hard each day fighting for her rights as a woman in this country. She has raised her daughter of now 18 years as an activist for all social justice issues, from racism to environmentalism to economic policies. She stresses the importance that this is how mothers (and fathers) should be raising their children so that they can pave a path to a better future. We are a new generation who must push forward as hard as we possibly can, ensuring that our children can have a better life under a more accepting government.
Well, there is only one way to do this. We need to be the change we want to see in the world. Whether this be through digital activism, protests, marches, voting – even getting arrested for what we believe in, it has to start now. Nadine and Margot have not hesitated to partake in any of this, even when they knew it could (and did) put their lives at risk. In the words of Margot Bloch, “We must band together to fix our broken political system and challenge injustice whenever we encounter it. It’s only when we work together that we can challenge our unjust systems of racism, patriarchy and economic injustice. In order to win equality and rights for everyone, we will need as many people as possible to pledge their time, energy and resources to the resistance.” (HuffPost)
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