On Monday, the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, women and allies are planning a nationwide women’s strike.
It all started with an April 18 TikTok post. Thousands of people saw that call, and subsequent posts. Within a few weeks, millions were responding.
Rachel O’Leary Carmona is the executive director of theWomen’s March, and that organization is serving as a communication portal to help people around the world organize. “We woke up one day that week and we found 60 actions on our map,” Carmona said.
The organizers are calling for supporters to wear red, stay home from work and school, and not spend any money unless it’s at a women-owned business. The movement is calling for equal rights, reproductive freedom and the end of gender-based violence.
“What we can really understand and measure by Monday, is the strength of the grassroots and how angry people are. And so I think that we will continue to see these organic, grassroots uprisings all the way until our rights are restored,” explained Carmona.
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 can vary, the overarching message is clear.
“The themes that we see across the board is that we are striking, we are rallying, we are marching for our freedoms, for our families and for our future. And that is pretty universal across the board,” said Carmona.
Organizers hope Monday’s actions underscore the high stakes of the 2024 election.
