Advocates for Youth stands against the Trump administration’s misogynist rhetoric and actions that devalue women and limit our bodily autonomy. We are committed to working towards gender, racial and economic equity for all young people. We will continue to call out racism, including antisemitism, whenever and wherever we see it.  Bigotry and discrimination, whatever their form, threaten the very health and safety of our communities.

We are disappointed and concerned about the infighting and divisiveness that continues to engulf the Women’s March, Inc.  Racism, including accusations of antisemitism against the March’s leaders of color, and racially charged efforts to discredit these same leaders plague January 19th’s fight for gender equity and threaten to further tear apart a movement founded on the principles of unity and inclusion.

Advocates for Youth condemns those within and beyond the movement that seek to divide us through racist rhetoric, beliefs or actions.  We understand the implication of the divisiveness is to weaken our collective cause.  We call on leaders from all walks of the progressive movement to stand in unity and to educate ourselves and each other about the dangerous impact of racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and misogyny.  Authentic unity and inclusion take empathy, understanding, education and hard work.  As a movement, we can center those most impacted by negative policies and discrimination: women of color, migrant women, Muslim women, those living in poverty.  We can also call out antisemitism from within our ranks.  But we must recognize that the biggest threat to our vision for a better world comes not from each other but from those in and around the Trump administration–those dedicated to tearing apart the progressive movement.

On January 21, 2017, millions of people took to the streets to protest the misogynist agenda of the Trump administration. Our work is not done.  The administration continues to nominate anti-choice judges to the courts, steadfastly supports restrictions to public insurance coverage for abortion, expanded the Global Gag Rule, endorses a “just say no” abstinence-only approach to sex education, greatly weakened the country’s family planning program,  decimated Title IX protections for survivors of sexual assault and transgender youth, and has no platform to ensure equal pay for equal work.

Advocates for Youth encourages those who believe in the principles of unity and inclusion to take to the streets on January 19th.  Whether you do so as part of the Women’s March Inc. or join one of the many parallel rallies planned by other entities, it is imperative that we call out this administration and sound a clarion call for gender equity and justice for all.