Pussy Hats and Protest

At first I thought that pussy hats were only the project of well-off white women and one more symbol of liberal futility.  But as March preparations moved ahead, I appreciated the brilliance of the project.  Women of all colors and religions embraced the project creating a sea of bright color that could not deny whose march this was.  I regret that my camera was not easily available in the metro when I spotted three Muslim women studying a large metro map with their backs to travelers, their brilliant pink scarves covering their heads.  A moment lost for posterity but one that will be in whatever part of my brain stores beauty, strength  and pleasure.  Nor will I forget the moment when I left the metro and locked eyes with a young woman of color and we smiled, enjoying the solidarity that our hats symbolized.

Like the march itself, the hats were bold.  The shame that can be projected upon women for being female discarded by wearing our vaginas on our heads. 

If nothing else, the world-wide women’s marches have taught us that we cannot and should not rely upon men to secure our power for us.   Our power is unleashed only when we are free to be ourselves.  The women marchers were organized, purposeful, kind, peaceful, happy!  Gracious and generous in that special female way.  Women realize that it is their opinion of themselves that matters.  Women’s strength comes from other women. It always has.

So pull out your pussy hat and wear it unabashedly.  My hat-making is on back order, but here is the pattern.