Are We Making America Great Again?

I never started SmartFem magazine with the intentions of it becoming a political magazine. The intention has always been to educate, empower and inspire women, and it seems that mission is more critical than ever.

In my eyes, our country is becoming divided. For me, it’s not a Republican or a Democrat issue, but a human rights issue.

Women in the US represent the largest consumer group. We make the majority of the purchasing decisions, everything from groceries to healthcare. Because of this, we have a voice in how the new legislation affects us and our families.

I believe women and minorities are being discriminated against, and I believe it will be our voices as consumers who will force Washington to remember they are supposed to be making decisions on behalf of our wants for the country.

I was extremely encouraged when Fox News fired Bill O’Reilly despite his show ratings. Reality is the show was dismissed because so many sponsors pulled out and Fox couldn’t afford to lose more money.

We have only been granted the right to vote since 1920. Important resources, like access to affordable healthcare at Planned Parenthood, are under attack.

We must ban together and remember that our purchasing choices are important. They give us a voice.

Are the companies you’re buying from socially responsible, or are they destroying the environment and exploiting people in other countries? Do the companies promote diversity and inclusivity, or are they discriminating against their workers?

There is a lot of negativity and fear right now, but there is also hope. I may not agree with many of the policies of the current president, but he has forced people to wake up and pay attention, and we needed a wakeup call for a long time.

I am thrilled to see people voicing their concerns and becoming activists. We witnessed the power of unity with the various Women’s Marches and other protests after the election.

It’s nice to see people turning off their autopilot switch. Perhaps with eyes wide open, together we can make America great again.