Some Women, on the Left and Right, See No Place for Themselves at the Women's March

WASHINGTON — On Saturday morning, while Lori Carrig rests after an exhausting day at the inauguration, some of her friends will head to the Women's March on Washington.But even though Carrig served in the military and works in the information technology sector — two male-dominated realms where she said she's experienced significant harassment — she never considered going to the march herself."They're just not focusing on the bigger picture," Carrig said. "Yes, we're women, we do face issues, but, you know, I could pay for my own birth control if I needed to."Carrig, 56, was an enthusiastic supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, and she's one of many women in D.C. who will be skipping out on the Women's March, which is expected to draw crowds of several thousands. Despite its lofty name, and the fact that its mission statement emphasizes "joining in diversity," the march just doesn't speak for her, she said.The goal of the march generally is to forward progressive causes for women, which range from voting rights to abortion access. But it began specifically as a demonstration against Trump, and refuting all aspects of his agenda is still the goal of most participants.That's part of what frustrates Libby Bates, who traveled from Cambridge, Ohio, to attend the inauguration."You know, if he was elected as president, why fight against that?" Bates said. "I think this is just more divisive and negative."Like Carrig, Bates was not especially disturbed by some of Trump's more controversial remarks, including a comment he made in 2005 about grabbing women by their genitals without their consent.The tape was just an attempt by Democrats "to make him look bad," she said.Jan Folmar, president of the Northwood Republican Women's club in Dallas, doesn't even understand why there needs to be a women's march in the first place."It's such a broad category — what does 'women's march' even mean?" she said. "I can see some of their concerns, but I have to say, if the Democrats had won, the Republicans would not have come out in mass to protest."We wouldn't have been so bent out of shape about it," she added.  Continue reading...