Not Working for Trump
Why feminists are calling for a national women's strike during Donald Trump's inauguration.
Hundreds of thousands of women plan to march in Washington, DC, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, protesting — among other things — his rank misogyny, history of sexual assault, and proposed cuts to public services. Alongside this protest, National Women’s Liberation (NWL) has called on women nationwide to strike from all work, paid and unpaid, on January 20 and 21.
“The incoming administration is promising to cut, undermine, privatize, or eliminate every social contract from public schools to Medicare to Social Security. They expect the ‘family’ (by which they mean women) to fill in the gaps and pick up the pieces. No we won’t. This strike is a warning. Our work can no longer be taken for granted,” the group stated.
Women from all over the country are pledging to stop work, sharing their reasons on the strike website. Some point to decidedly feminist issues — the pay gap and uncompensated reproductive labor like child care and housework — while others speak to issues that are not generally thought of as feminist — the health-care system, wage stagnation, and income inequality. The strike demonstrates how feminists and the labor movement can work together over the next four years to fight for improved working and living conditions for everyone.