'Day Without A Woman' Protest Draws Supporters, Backlash

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) It was announced through an op-ed in The Guardian, penned by eight prominent feminists: International Women's Day on March 8 would bring marches, protests and pronouncements across state capitols and in Washington, D.C.

It would also bring a strike.

The writers called for "a day of striking, marching, blocking roads, bridges, and squares, abstaining from domestic, care and sex work, boycotting, calling out misogynistic politicians and companies, striking in educational institutions."

Supporters set up an accompanying Women's March on Washington, with softer stipulations, urging everyone to observe the day by:

1. For women, taking the day off work.

2. For everyone: exclusively shop at "small, women- and minority-owned businesses."

3. All should also wear red "in solidarity."

This is a follow-up to the Women's March on Washington in January that brought more than one million women to the Capitol, many in pink "pussy cat" hats. It took place the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration in what many saw as a protest to misogyny. After the march, the group also issued "10 Actions in the first 100 Days" to keep their momentum.

"The goal is to highlight the economic power and significance that women have in the US and global economies, while calling attention to the economic injustices women and gender nonconforming people continue to face," the Women's March website says.  We play an indispensable role in the daily functions of life in all of society, through paid & unpaid, seen & unseen labor,"   the official Women's March account.

There's an accompanying women's march in Lansing, and Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Women's Working Group and House Democrats will hold a press event on Wednesday, March 8 at 12:30 p.m. to mark the day.

Trump took the opportunity to Tweet about his respect for women.

Many, many others supported the effort with Tweets of support on the hashtag #daywithoutawoman.

Many on social media are supporting the movement; others are using it as an opportunity to spoof painfully earnest navel-gazing pronouncements.

Others complained that, like the previous women's march, this has an air of entitlement and privilege about it. Female bosses and women who work in offices have paid days off; women who work in restaurants and in more low-wage positions jobs do not. And they can't afford to go a day without pay.

A day "without shopping" doesn't mean much to women without disposable income.