Zioness applauds Teresa Shook, the founder of the Women’s March, for calling on the four co-Chairs of Women’s March, Inc. – Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez – to step down from their roles. In her statement this morning, Shook made clear that these four women have “allowed anti-Semitism, anti- LBGTQIA sentiment and hateful, racist rhetoric to become a part of the platform”.
Zioness shares Shook’s sentiment that it is high time for new leadership at a Movement created to stand in love and solidarity against hate. Since our founding in 2017, Zioness has spoken out time and again against the poisonous and deeply hurtful rhetoric and actions of certain Women’s March leaders. Through their action and inaction, these leaders have demonized and marginalized members of the Jewish community, LBGTQIA community, and other groups. Their exclusionary behavior is not only harmful to those of us who have been feeling alienated––it is harmful to all the marginalized communities we want to fight for. Anyone who cares about the advancement of social, racial, economic and gender justice should welcome all committed activists to the fight, not just some.
We expect that if Bland, Mallory, Sarsour, and Perez actually care about justice and equality, they will step aside and allow others with moral authority to lead. American progressives are ready to unite to fight intolerance wherever and whenever it appears––which, today, is all too frequent. If we are to succeed in advancing the goals we all share, we must immediately come together hand in hand, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or religion. We invite all progressives to join Zioness and learn from our iconic progressive leaders and national Board members about how to fight for–-and actually achieve––equality for all.
For our part, Zioness will be organizing a significant presence at the next Women’s March from coast-to-coast, engaging our more than 18 chapters and thousands of participants. As part of this work, Zioness will be hosting a series of pre-march “teach-ins” that bring light to the issues facing Jewish women in a time of skyrocketing anti-Semitism. In Washington, DC, this teach-in will be headed by progressive icon Ann Lewis. We will be announcing additional leaders organizing these teach-ins in the coming weeks.