The historic Women's March on January 21 drew millions of women around the world to protest the day after the inauguration of President Trump, and now they are following it up with another form of protest: "A Day Without A Woman," a women's strike that will take place on March 8, which is also International Women's Day. As the date has started spreading through social media like fire with the hashtags #DayWithoutAWoman and #WomensMarch, many people are wondering: how will the women's strike work?
While the organizers have not yet released specific details on the strike yet, traditionally the act of a general strike involves "a strike of workers in all or most industries" — in this case, a literal "day without a woman," be that at your job, your domestic obligations, or any of the number of countless roles that women play both in society and at home. The concept of this strike has, of course, already garnered some criticism from women who will be unable to attend, whether it be for financial reasons, family reasons, or a combination of both. Commenters have been quick to point out on the Instagram post announcing the date that the feminism of this event is not inclusive, given that it is easiest for privileged, white women to take a day off work in the middle of the week to protest (notably, this strike will take place on a Wednesday, rather than a Saturday like the Women's March), excluding those who lack the privilege to do just that.
"In the spirit of women and their allies coming together for love and liberation, we offer A Day Without A Woman," reads the caption on the Instagram announcement. "We ask: do businesses support our communities, or do they drain our communities? Do they strive for gender equity or do they support the policies and leaders that perpetuate oppression? Do they align with a sustainable environment or do they profit off destruction and steal the futures of our children?"
The organizers urge people to check their Instagram for more details in the coming weeks, which will likely include details on protest areas in different cities, and hopefully alternative forms of protest for women who will be unable to participate in "A Day Without A Woman" in the traditional strike sense. You can keep up with posts offering more details on the women's strike by checking their website here.
