Thousands took to the streets last Saturday as part of the Women’s March UK. The issues highlighted by these demonstrations, which were supported by Socialist Alternative, were the increasing rates of gender-based violence, as well as the rise of the anti-woman, anti-trans right wing in the form of Trump and Farage.
These inspiring marches show what is possible. They show that the right can be challenged, and a movement can be built to fight for reproductive rights, trans rights, against sexism and for the services which all women need.
But now we’re faced with a big question: what do we do next?
On Sunday 19 January, the Women’s March UK social media made a post outlining next steps for the marchers. These include “contacting your representatives”, “supporting women-owned businesses and organisations” along with a list of other steps that individuals can take.
While some of the suggested steps are worthwhile, as a whole the proposals do not point towards building a mass movement winning victories. Writing to our MPs and choosing where to do our shopping doesn’t mobilise people and build solidarity. It doesn’t point towards the most important, collective economic power ordinary people have together: our power as workers who produce wealth and provide services. And none of the steps point towards challenging the capitalist system which creates oppression.
MPs can easily ignore a letter from an individual constituent. However a movement based on methods of militant struggle — protests, occupations, walkouts and strikes — creates the kinds of mass pressure from below which can force change.
Rather than focussing on individual consumption at businesses owned by women, we need to fight for trade unions which willbuild a fightback on these issues, organising workers to fight for demands which benefit working-class women, such as comprehensive childcare, equal pay and an end to rampant sexual harassment in the workplace.
Our movement needs to challenge the profiteering bosses and their system, rather than simply trying to make 50% of them women.
Just a basic look at some ‘women-owned businesses’ shows they are not at all a step towards genuine liberation and make no positive difference to our lives. Rather than promoting ‘girlboss feminism’, our movement needs to reject trying to feminise the capitalist elite.
One of the largest healthcare companies in the world, CVS Health Corporation, is owned by a woman — Karen Lynch, who has run the company for 30 years. But it is these parasitic private health companies which are helping to destroy NHS services needed by women and trans people the most, along with the workers in these services who are mostly women. This isn’t because these companies are run by men or women — it is because they are run for profit.
March 8 — International Women’s Day — should now be announced as a next date of mass protest. We need to build for school, college and university walkouts bringing on board student groups, trade unions and all others to fight for demands which can unite us in struggle for fundamental change.
- End harassment, femicide and victim blaming! Solidarity with all those impacted by gender based violence!
- Fully decriminalise abortion! Make access to reproductive healthcare free, safe and legal on demand for all who need it!
- Provide resources and support for all survivors of abuse — reopen all refuges and invest to expand spaces!
- Stop the attacks on our health and care services! Give all nursing and care workers a real pay rise.
- Trans-inclusive healthcare now as part of a fully-funded, publicly owned NHS.
