Women's March on Washington DC. Why I marched.

Yesterday, January 21st, 2017, my friend and I were 2 of the hundreds of thousands of women who marched - peacefully - in Washington, DC.

All day today I shared my experience with my family and anyone who cared enough to ask, deleted hate messages and blocked senders and thought about how I could possibly sum up this day in one little blog post.

The truth is, I can't. Words fail me. This experience was so much bigger than I could ever find the words to describe it. To say that it was the most inspiring, empowering and positive gathering of so many women, men and children who heard the call to action and felt that same deep rooted need to stand up for their beliefs, would just not do it justice. Instead, I'm posting a collage of pictures we snapped in the hopes that it will give you a glimpse of our collective outcry:

My reasons for marching were many but at the top of my list was me wanting to say "NO" loud and clear to the recent attempts of legitimizing sexual assault. I am a survivor of abuse and sexual violence. Hearing a man - any man - brag about doing just that, sends chills up and down my spine and brings back memories that I do not wish to remember: vivid images and horror.

I am not OK with others dismissing such rhetoric as "locker room talk" and "that's what guys do".

I am not OK with my daughters growing up in a world where excuses are made for the perpetrators.

I am not OK with victim shaming.

I am deeply offended by such rhetoric. It is not OK. It is not excusable. It is NOT normal!

I am ashamed and outraged that we still have to have this discussion in 2017.

I am shocked that so many are asking me "to just get over it", "to join hands with the perpetrator(s)" and to just sit down and be quiet.

No. I will not be silent silenced anymore. And this is [one reason] why I marched in Washington, DC yesterday.

P.S. I am fully aware that this post does not fit any of the [REAL ESTATE] categories this platform has to offer. So let's just categorize it as a LOCALISM post by a REALTOR® who values the diversity of her community and takes great pride in assisting people from all walks of life and from all over the world.