'#WhyIMarch' in Aurat March 2019: Women voice exasperation over systemic failures

By
Haseem uz Zaman
|
Artwork by Areesha Khuwaja (@areeshasmusings)

KARACHI: With March just around the corner, our favourite event is ever so closer and women are gearing up with fierce passion and energy to urge for a better system in the country.

Over the weekend, under the hashtag #WhyIMarch, women, genderqueer, and trans folks took to Twitter to jot down their reasons for attending one of the most happening marches in Pakistan.

"Tell us why you will be joining us. Tell us about your struggles and your dreams. Tell us what you march for," the official Twitter account of Aurat March posted.

And they sure were inundated with responses ranging from harassment to wage gap and from abuse of all kinds to autonomy.

'Tired of being followed/harassed' during driving

The 'freedom my brother was granted from birth'

'Last #auratmarch inspired me to be a part of it'

For 'mothers and wives who have been bullied by their spouses'

For 'sisters and daughters who are lost the right of property'

'I acknowledge my privilege & strive to use it for the greater good'

'Want women to get together and be a big political force'

'Be able to go out for a casual stroll without worrying about sexual harassment'

'It's 2019 and the male child is still preferred for education and health'

'I'm bothered'

'Collective action is the only way to dismantle patriarchal, capitalist structures'

'Celebrate the existence of lgbtqi folks and women!'

'Reproductive rights are human rights'

'Envision a world where every gender has sexual, political and economical rights'

What are you marching for? Tell us in the comments!