Piers Morgan Did Not Attend The Women's March & His Reasons Really Piss Me Off

My thoughts about the negative sentiment that has been surrounding the Women's March and feminism itself.

On Saturday Piers Morgan's tiny brain forgot about Kim Kardashian for a day and went after the millions of people who participated in the Women's March on Saturday for coming together in support of women and human rights as a whole.

"Imagine if there were a load of men-only marches today? The feminists would go crackers," he wrote. "I'm planning a 'Men's March' to protest at the creeping global emasculation of my gender by rabid feminists. Who's with me?" He called the marches a "massive hissy fit", continuing about how marching for women's rights is sexist against men.

It is precisely this kind of ignorance that plagues this world, starving it of the peace we all hope for and it is the people that fail to think both compassionately and critically about the world that are holding us back. Women's rights, just like the rights of every single other community, are human rights. When one is threatened, we are all threatened.

I didn't really even want to entertain this nonsense that Piers Morgan has spewed out into the world. He really isn't worth talking about. But unfortunately, he isn't the only one with this negative attitude towards what the Women's March represents. Sadly, there are obviously millions of people, men and women alike, that carry the same sentiment as Piers on many levels (this is how Trump became President).

I become overwhelmed by the feelings I have towards people like Piers- hateful, ignorant people, who spew negativity and only look out for themselves. It makes me angry. Frustrated. But mostly, it makes me sad. For the people and communities that suffer, yes, but also sad for those that live in this bubble of negativity. They lack compassion, or intellect, maybe both. They are sheep following a flock of hate, unable to see the bigger picture. It's especially frustrating to hear women bashing other women, or the women's movement, or feminism, women's reproductive rights, abortion, the Women's March. I can't understand. You are a woman. How are you not even on your own side? Don't you want to be a part of your own fight, your own future, the future of your daughters or female family members? And to the men- you likely have women in your life- a sister, aunt, niece, grandmother, and if not, you definitely have a mother. How can you even look at them in the face?

To just start this off, I would like to note- I write this not in defense of my morals and beliefs, but instead as an opportunity to educate those that perhaps are just ignorant or naive to the injustices happening all around them and therefore didn't know better when they attacked what the Women's March stood for and everyone that chose to participate in fighting back for the betterment of, not just women, but everyone living in this world. I am hoping at least that the negativity is, in fact, due to ignorance or naivety. If not, and I know this isn't the case a lot of times, then I am sad for these people. I try to understand- what is it that makes one argue against love, peace and equality for all? Are they so self serving and self centered that they don't care about the plight of others? Do they feel so safe in their tiny bubbles that they feel they can ignore the dangers our future faces? Have they no empathy or compassion? I can't argue with any of those things. Those issues can only be addressed by the person looking back at you in the mirror? But I will say this- you are not safe within your bubble. It will pop sooner or later and even you will be deeply affected by the problems within the world. Moving on....

"I'm planning a 'Men's March' to protest at the creeping global emasculation of my gender by rabid feminists. Who's with me?" "Imagine if there were a load of men-only marches today? The feminists would go crackers,"

I hate to respond with pure emotion, but are you that insecure? So much so that you feel threatened by women having the same rights as you do? Feminism is not meant to emasculate men. If wanting the same rights as you makes you feel less powerful, like less of a human being, look in the mirror- your problem and your answer lies there. Not to mention, the idea that feminism is some exclusive man-hating club is ancient. Get real.

Let's review what Feminism is:

The (seemingly radical according to some people) idea that women should have EQUAL social, political and economic rights as their male counterparts. Equal, not more, rights than men. Including, but not limited to, rights over their bodies, equal pay, social opportunities, educational opportunities and political and cultural representation. And there is no difference between feminists- "rabid", black, white, immigrant, poor, rich, or otherwise. Your ignorant rhetoric isn't going to divide us.

Also, the march wasn't a "women-only" event. Everyone was invited to participate in standing up for HUMAN RIGHTS. As the official Women's March mission statement states, "we support the advocacy and resistance movements that reflect our multiple and intersecting identities. We call on all defenders of human rights to join us. This march is the first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all."

Calling the marches a "massive hissy fit" and continuing on about how marching for women's rights is sexist against men is misguided and undermines the issues of inequity, both socially and economically, that not women face all over the world. We marched because misogyny and sexism is alive and well. Because women are paid less than their male counterparts. Because women are blamed for being raped...and some states require women to interact and co-parent with their rapist. Because some women can't even drive a car, have a credit card or leave the country without the permission of a man. Because girls as young as 12 are being forced to marry men 3 and 4 times their age, and birth their children. Because there at 62 million girls that are not in school simply because they are girls. Because 1 in 3 women experience violence at least once in their lifetime. Because the media fails to portray women in a human way, and instead sells the idea that a woman's power lies within her sexuality, beauty and youth, as opposed to her character, intelligence or ambition. Because our prison system is sexist and racist, and women (disproportionately women of color) represent the fastest growing population of incarcerated people in the US. Because we need more women in positions of power. Because every year, India and China abort, kill or abandon more baby girls than are born in the United States. And I could keep going with this. Are these things worth throwing a "hissy fit" over? I can't see how anybody could argue otherwise.

And the march was about more than just women. We marched for women and men alike- children, our dark skinned, muslim, immigrant, elderly, poor, disabled and LGBTQ brothers and sisters. It was protesting the hate and greed that has become a cancer to this country and our world. We marched against racism, xenophobia, transphobia. We protest our president because he's a fascist bully, unqualified, has attacked nearly every community of people, and is filling his cabinet with people every bit as hateful and unqualified a monkey as he is.

Avoiding, for the sake of argument, the simple fact that the definition of feminism (EQUAL rights) should quickly shut this whole "sexist toward men argument" down, let's continue.

I simply can't understand this kind of thought process- the kind of attitude where one feels that the they are being threatened if they aren't included in someone else's fight. We see it all too often in the Black Lives Matter movement. Some people fight back with "all lives matter". All lives do matter. But "some lives" suffer much more than others and their disproportionate inequalities need to be addressed. That's why Black Lives Matter exists- to highlight the inequalities, racism and prejudice that people of color face, and rally people together to fight for them, beside them.

The same way that the idea that "all lives matter" is harmful and deeply flawed, so is the premise that "feminism is sexist against men". The problem with these types premises lies in what is being unaddressed. Feminism highlights the demonstrable evidence that women of all walks of life (some more than others) are discriminated against and suffer from social, political, and economic inequalities. Feminism exists because women are treated unjust and unequal, and that needs to change.

Nobody is trying to deny the fact that all lives matter or that men are important too. But let's not deny that white, middle class men typically don't need a movement. They don't need to rally or fight for much, if anything by comparison.

My point is this- we must protect, fight for, and empower one another, because all of our well being depends on it. We are all in this together. For we are not free or safe until we all are. When a group of us is hungry, broken, attacked, suffering- WE ALL ARE. There are always going to be people working against us. There will always be both darkness and light. It is the balance of the universe. The yin and yang. But if we don't spread light and love as much and as far as possible, we will be consumed by the darkness. Now more than ever.

Peace and love.