If you spent half a second on social media over the weekend, you are likely aware that Saturday's Women's March, which intended to support and unify women (at least that was my understanding and why I marched) has quite possibly caused a deeper divide—or perhaps, it just brought our differences to the surface. Either way, I find it heartbreaking. Where is the love? Where is the understanding? Where is the empathy? As moms, aren't those characteristics supposed to be our M.O.?
I am now asking you (and me...I assure you that this is not a high-horse post) to refer to a famous proverb (with a feminine spin of course). I am asking you to Walk a Mile in Her Heels.
Specifically—
To the Pro-Choicers: Walk in the Heels of the woman who has been trying to get pregnant for years and still hasn't become a mother. Imagine how her heart must ache at the thought of someone terminating an unwanted pregnancy when all she wants is a baby of her own.
To the Pro-Lifers: Walk in the Heels of the woman who finds herself in such a desperate situation that she must make the agonizing decision to abort or of the woman who must choose her own well-being over the life of her unborn. Or go even further and Walk in the Heels of every Chinese woman who has been mandated to abort her baby because the government has a say over her body and consider what it means to allow our government similar power.
To the Christian Woman: Walk in the Heels of a woman with a different religious belief. Remember that our country was founded on the idea of religious freedom.
To the Woman of Any Other Faith or No Faith: Walk in the Heels of a Christian woman. Remember that our country was founded on the idea of religious freedom.
To the Office Mom: Walk in the Heels of the woman who chooses to stay home to raise her family. Remember that this too is feminism. Remember that this is someone's American Dream.
To the Stay-at-Home Mom: Walk in the Heels of the woman who gets paid 20% less than her male counterpart. The women who most likely pumps while sitting on a toilet in a dirty bathroom stall or gives up breastfeeding all together because she has no support system in the workplace.
To the White Upper Middle Class Woman: Walk in the Heels of all women who don't look like you or have the same socioeconomic background as you—who possibly grew up in a country in which they felt they didn't belong. Perhaps in your world, every day feels like a blessing. Perhaps in theirs, it doesn't. Perhaps, they still believe there is something for which to march.
To the Woman of Any Other Ethnicity Living Paycheck to Paycheck: Walk in the Heels of the woman who seems to have it all. I assure you that she doesn't. Remember that we never truly know what goes on in someone's personal life. (Take it from this white divorced, bi-polar blonde who spent time in a mental institution!)
To the Republican Woman: Walk in the Heels of a bleeding heart liberal woman who believes in fighting the right-wing for better gun control to protect her kids or for equal marital rights for those she loves in the LGBT community. Respect her point of view even if you disagree. Find common ground somewhere.
To the Democrat Woman: Walk in the Heels of the conservative woman who believes in smaller government, fiscal responsibility and the right to bear arms. Respect her point of view even if you disagree. Find common ground somewhere.
To the Woman Who Marched: Walk in the Heels of the woman who didn't. She believes that no matter who she voted for, her duty to her country is to support the President. She believes that a protest the day after the inauguration goes against that duty. She is grateful for the many rights and opportunities that women do have in this country. (I think we can all admit we are better off than so many.)
