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EW tagged along with Cheryl Strayed for the historic Women’s March on Jan. 21.
Here, she shares her field notes from the journey.
Credit: Mettie Ostrowski for EW
Cheryl Strayed knows a thing or two about walking.
(Millions more walked in sister marches around the globe.)
Strayed spent hours weaving through the crowd and greeting fans who cried in her arms.
Strayed with Claire Danes at the Women’s March.Mettie Ostrowski for EW
EW tagged along with Strayed and here, she shares her field notes from the journey.
I wept in the days after the election.
I just cried and cried, and Ive never had that experience before.
Ive been pissed off, but this was different.
I was like,What are we going to do?
It sounds trite, but its absolutely true.
Thats why walking is so healing.
Youre doing with your body what it’s crucial that you do with your spirit.
I started hearing about the march within an hour of the election results.
I knew immediately I had to be here to essentially exercise our freedom to protest.
Women have to register our protests with our bodies.
We are here with our bodies since our bodies are being threatened in so many different ways.
My son was like, Can I be a feminist?
and Im like, Of course!
There is a ridiculously old idea that feminism is man-hating.
Were doing an American thing today, marching on the National Mall.
Im proud to stand here with all these people.
This is our sacred ground.
I love the signs.
Some are really funny, some are really moving.
I love this one: I didnt come from your rib, you came from my vagina.
With writing, too.
I have big plans for the way this moment and era in life will influence my writing.
I feel lit up creatively because of this.
Often your best writing does come out of suffering or passion or struggle.
Theres something about being here and walking on this land, which is our land.
Its a real thing.
