Joanie Nickel marches because...
The Womens March to me means freedom--for the present and preservation of the victories of the past--the years of women standing up for their rights as women, mothers, lovers and Americans with a voice asking to be respected. The March stands for more than my personal story, much more. I fear young and old, ignorant of our past, Americans without respect for human rights, will cause a backwards slide towards repression of human rights especially the rights of those who lack the power to resist. I respect the gifts of all the women who came before me, who sacrificed life and freedom to make us all more free. That is why I march and ask others to do also. But...like many I have a story. I am a METOO. I was regularly assaulted by a family member from the age of 6.5 until 8.5. I was so unaware, innocent that I did not know it was a sexual assault. I had lived 24/7 with my Gramda in an all woman's household until 6.5 years old. I was told about the birds and t...