Nearly 100 protesters and activists gathered on the 100th anniversary of the first International Women’s Day to protest the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan and the continued marginalization of women in the U.S. and around the world.
The militant March 8 action, which took place in front of the Federal Building in Westwood, was called by the Association of Filipinas, Feminists Fighting Imperialism, Re-feudalization, & Marginalization. It was supported by a broad coalition of organizations including the Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines, the ANSWER Coalition, KmB Pro-People Youth, March Forward!, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and others who came together to fight back and say no to continued wars overseas and raise awareness about the systematic sexism encountered by women both within and outside of the military.
Signs and banners read “Women Say No to War” and “Fight Back against Sexism” while chants like “We are women, we will resist. We will defeat the imperialists!” energized the supportive crowd. The organizations that were present each had women representatives speak out about how the war adversely affects women’s lives.
Speakers from the ANSWER Coalition discussed the $700 million daily budget used for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan while politicians continue to place the burden of the economic recession on the backs of workers and women who face devastating cuts to education and social services.
One of the speakers was a military veteran from March Forward!, who courageously shared her experience of abuse while serving and highlighted the shared experience of abuse and discrimination that our sisters serving in the armed forces encounter on a daily basis.
The action was brought to a close with a song by a member of the Mariposa Center for Change who led demonstrators in a chorus of the song “Bread and Roses”, a reference to the leadership of women in the 1912 Lawrence textile workers’ strike.
The role of women in the struggle for the working class is becoming more and more evident. The recent uprisings in the Arab world and the labor struggles taking place in Wisconsin and the Midwest are proof that women play active and important roles in the fight back movements taking place today. The rally truly showed that women leaders are at the forefront of the struggle for socialism and gender equality all over the world.
