Nationwide women’s strike expected for Monday

On Monday, the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning Roe v. Wade, women and allies are planning a nationwide women’s strike.

It all started with an April 18th TikTok post. Thousands of people saw this call and the subsequent posts. Within a few weeks, millions responded.

Rachel O’Leary Carmona is the executive director of the Women’s March. The organization serves as a communications portal to help people around the world organize. “One day this week, we woke up and found 60 actions on our map,” Carmona said.

Organizers are calling on supporters to wear red clothing, stay home from work and school, and not spend money unless it’s in a business owned by women. The movement is calling for equal rights, reproductive freedom, and an end to gender-based violence.

“What we can really understand and measure by Monday is the strength of the grassroots movement and how angry people are. And that’s why I believe we will continue to see these organic grassroots uprisings until our rights are restored,” Carmona explained.

The strikes, walkouts and protests are being organized on a variety of digital platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Eventbrite and more. And while the calls to action may vary, the overarching message is clear.

“The issues we see everywhere are that we are striking, that we are gathering, that we are demonstrating for our freedoms, for our families and for our future. And that’s pretty much everywhere,” Carmona said.

Organizers hope Monday’s actions will demonstrate how much is at stake in the 2024 elections.