Why I Took My Son To March For Women

By Top Contributor Aisha Sidibe

(Image: Teresa Kroeger/FilmMagic)

My son MarkAnthony reads, he reads a lot. People are often proud of his love for books. I am too. However, no matter how much empathy my son gains from reading (which is quite a bit), there's more work to be done and more conversation to be had. When I heard about the women's march that was planned to take place all over the world on January 21st, I knew that I would have to attend. My second thought was that it was a perfect opportunity to talk to MarkAnthony about what it means to be a woman in today's world. I don't want my son to participate in misogyny for the lack of knowledge. At the very least, my son should be in the know.

Trump's rhetoric of women used as props should not be normalized. My son is still impressionable and I work tirelessly to raise an empathetic child who not only understands the wrongs of today but also takes the steps to dismantle them. While I have taught my son about LGBT rights, and civil rights, with words, I am convinced that children learn best via active participation. What better way for him to see the power of women than to celebrate side by side with millions of them?

(Aisha Sidibe's son MarkAnthony.)

Many people chastise the demonstrators for taking part in a meaningless, one-day celebration. I challenge that thought with the fact that MarkAnthony, a boy who is still being shaped into a young man who will vote, has learned that he lives in a world where your voice can only be heard if you use it. He is learning that action starts small. Action feels good. None of us are alone in this. These are principles that may help him to understand the importance of local elections or getting his applications in on time to his college or job of choice. 

So cheers to the women of the world. Power to us. And power to the next generation, may they never fail to move in the right direction.

Aisha Sidibe has had a deep love for books her entire life. She was nine when she began to share her writing. As a multi-ethnic writer, intersectionality has been a driving force behind her work. She is working on her first memoir and learning her fifth language – German. She hopes to perfect both by 2020. Aisha is an adjunct instructor at the City University of New York. She lives with her husband, a fiction writer, and two sons in New York. AishaSidibe.Weebly.com.

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