‘What Am I Worth as a Woman’: Indian-Americans at Women’s March

The Quint spoke to a few women of Indian origin who participated in the Women’s March in the United States.

Women’s protests all over the world marked the first day of US President Donald Trump’s term. And the Women’s March in Washington DC alone saw about 600,000 men and women proudly clutching on to protest signs and posters.

The idea of the Women’s March in Washington sprung after Trump won the election in November 2016 and a grandmother from Hawaii posted her plea for holding a protest on a Facebook group. This organic, grassroots effort rode on the motto – 'The Rise of the Woman = The Rise of the Nation'. And the message quickly spread throughout America and the world to become a massive movement.

Among the people who gathered to protest against the racist and sexist rhetoric of the recent election cycle, the march in Washington DC saw several Indian men and women come together to voice their ideas and opinions.

The Quint spoke to five Indian and Indian-American women at the Women’s March in Washington about their reasons to be a part of the massive demonstration and their expectations from a Trump presidency.

‘It Is Wake-Up Time for America’

Anita Kantamneni

Age: 55

Profession: Teacher

I have been in the US for about 30 years now. I wanted to be here to march with other women and make our voice heard against anyone who tries to take our rights away –because women’s rights are human rights.

I feel that the next four years will bring a lot of failed policies. Maybe, it is wake-up time for America, a time to realise what they’re getting into. It’s a time when we need to get grounded and restart again.

Women all over the world have begun to take too many things for granted, but we should come out more often. So, even though I have been pretty privileged here and I know that Trump’s rhetoric against immigrants would not affect me as much, I don’t respect him for the kind of person he is. I don’t give him the right to represent who we are.

‘What Am I Worth As a Woman?’

Anu Parvathaneni

Age: 49

Profession: Counsellor

About 6 months ago, my 94-year-old grandma, who lives in India, said something to me about the time she wasn’t allowed to go to a school three miles away from home because her parents said it was too far. She asked me a question, 'Am I worth more than just being married and having children? What am I worth as a woman?'

That’s the question all of us have to ask ourselves. I have two girls. I want them to see themselves as two independent, strong women who have equal rights as any other person of any race, colour or gender. So I believe it’s important for all of us to be here.

The presidency is about a lot more than the policies and the politics and to me, Donald Trump doesn’t represent America. I hope he realises that he is the president to a lot of people other than the ones who identify with him. I hope he is able to represent us with dignity and I hope he is able to unify us. He is our president and at some point, I am going to have to respect that, but I hope he respects us too.

Also Read: Washington Protests Turn Violent as Trump Assumes Presidency

‘Whatever Trump Says About Immigrants Makes Me Uncomfortable’

Urmila (she didn’t want us to use her last name)

Age: 55

I have watched this country grow over the last 50 years and we were making a lot of progress. But I feel now we’re going backwards. By being here (at the march), I feel that we can together fight for our continued progress, moving forward not backwards.

I am very concerned about the Trump presidency. I don’t think he is a kind person. I am looking out for people who’re in difficult positions and how we can really move forward as a country, as a world.

Whatever he says about immigrants and people of other races makes me uncomfortable. I have lived in this country for the last 50 years and never felt like I didn’t belong here in the whole time that I’ve been here. But last year has changed my whole outlook. I am just shocked. It makes me very sad.

‘No Political Will to Take On These Issues’

Richa Sharma

Age: 28

Profession: Researcher

I came to the US from New Delhi in 2012 for my Master’s. I am here to support women’s rights and especially my other message – 'Smash patriarchy'. Even in India, we have a patriarchal attitude towards women. So whether it’s rapes, discrimination or inequality, I am here to support their eradication.

I am not very hopeful about the next four years under Trump. The kind of things he said during his campaign were disgusting and any candidate should not say those kind of things. I am here to give a clear message that we’re not going to put up with that kind of behaviour.

In India as well, especially after the anti-corruption movement and the 2012 rape case, people have started to protest to give a very strong and clear message. What I feel is that there is no political will to take on these issues, among men as well as women. We need to make sure we don’t get disheartened and continue taking to the streets to keep our message strong.

Also Read: Anti-Trump Protesters Pepper Sprayed in Washington DC

‘Trump’s Values Don’t Align with American Citizens’

Christine Varickamackal

Age: 28

Profession: Human Resource Professional

I was born in New York. My parents came to this country from Kerala to live a better life. They are immigrants and Trump’s values don’t align with American citizens, especially the immigrants. I came here for them as well as for women’s rights.

I believe that through this march, the rest of America which voted for Trump will realise that no one is going to back down and that we will continue to march peacefully, without any violence.

Hopefully, Trump, our President Trump, will hear us and do the right thing.

(The author is a US-based journalist.)

Also Read: Madonna, Emma Watson, Cher: Hollywood At The Women’s Marches