How To Join A Strike If You Can't Miss Work

For those feeling motivated by the Women’s March on Washington, along with all of its sister marches that happened throughout the world, the next big step in peaceful protest is participating in the official Women’s Strike on March 8. But while that’s a nice thought, there are some women who want to make a statement that simply can’t stay home from work that day. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to support the women’s strike without skipping work.

According to the organizers of the “Day Without a Woman” strike — the same people behind the Women’s March — the goal of the strike is to honor and recognize “the enormous value that women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system,” despite dealing with those ever-persistent, ever-terrible issues like sexual harassment and the wage gap. Its themes echo the recent “Day Without Immigrants” strike, which saw immigrants across the country taking the day off of work and closing their business’ doors.

However, in part because of the particular issues women face at work, many people who might want to participate don’t have the privilege of taking the day off, whether because they cannot afford to do so, they do not have the job security to do so, or for other reasons. But never fear! The organizers recognized that this would be a problem for many women, and they offered a few official alternative actions that those women can take to show their support.

In a similar vein to the popular Grab Your Wallet movement, the organizers ask that women “avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses).” Women who’d like to participate can also wear red “in solidarity.” These may seem like small actions, but if large groups of women do them all at once, they have the potential to send a huge statement.

And there are plenty of ways to go beyond the official steps listed on the website in order to make a difference. There’s the always effective donation route, in which supporters can give to organizations that help fight for women’s rights. It’s also always good to call your representatives and make sure they are working on behalf of the causes you believe in.

The organizers of the Women’s March have been posting suggested general actions people can take during President Donald Trump’s first 100 days as well, actions like writing postcards to senators and “huddling” to form your peaceful resistance team.

Finally, for male allies who want to show their support, the organizers asked in a tweet that men “lean into care work” and “use the day to call out decision-makers at work & in govt [regarding] equal pay.”

Everyone who wants to participate in the women’s strike can find a way. So mark your calendars for March 8 — it’s important to add your voice to the dialogue, now more than ever.