The organizers of the Women's March on Washington are taking the next step by planning a "general strike" during which they will block roads, abstain from domestic care, and strike against educational institutions on March 8.
Eight feminists, including activists Angela Davis, Rasmea Yousef Odeh, and Nancy Fraser, called last week for a "next step" two weeks after the Women's March on Jan. 21, which was in part a protest against President Donald Trump one day after his inauguration.
The proposed next step is to launch a global women's strike called "A Day Without a Woman" on March 8, coinciding with International Women's Day.
The strike is intended to mobilize all women, including trans women and all who support them, in over 30 countries that have already agreed to participate.
In an op-ed published by the Guardian, the eight feminists claim they plan to protest by abandoning their "domestic" duties, which presumably includes childcare.
"The idea is to mobilize women, including trans women, and all who support them in an international day of struggle–a day of striking, marching, blocking roads, bridges, and squares, abstaining from domestic, care and sex work, boycotting, calling out misogynistic politicians and companies, striking in educational institutions," they wrote.
"These actions are aimed at making visible the needs and aspirations of those whom lean-in feminism ignored: women in the formal labor market, women working in the sphere of social reproduction and care, and unemployed and precarious working women," the op-ed continued.
The Women's March Twitter account announced the date of the upcoming protest on Valentine's Day.
In the spirit of women and their allies coming together for love and liberation, we offer A Day Without A Woman. #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/SYOjHcXWR6
— Women's March (@womensmarch) February 14, 2017
On Tuesday, the Women's March Twitter account sent out a slew of tweets with the hashtag #DayWithoutAWoman.
Do businesses strive for gender equity or do they support the policies and leaders that perpetuate oppression? #DayWithoutAWoman
— Women's March (@womensmarch) February 14, 2017
Do businesses align with a sustainable environment or do they profit off destruction & steal the futures of our children? #DayWithoutAWoman
— Women's March (@womensmarch) February 14, 2017
The group promised to release further details about the "A Day Without a Woman" strike in the coming weeks.
Over the next few weeks we will be sharing more information on what actions on March 8th can look like for you. #DayWithoutAWoman
— Women's March (@womensmarch) February 14, 2017
Such an attempt at a Women's March and strike is not new. The most memorable one in recent history occurred in 1975 in Iceland, Vogue noted. During the protest, 90 percent of Icelandic women ceased to "cook, care for their children, or do any sort of housework" in an effort to promote equal gender rights.