As a woman who is an avid supporter of women’s rights, reproductive rights, environmental protection, and LGBTQ rights, I could not get myself to participate in the Women’s March this year.

The Women’s March has turned from a positive and empowering movement into an exclusive movement with some anti-Semitic sentiment. An injustice occurs when a movement that should be inclusive and uplifting makes me, a Jewish woman, feel like an “other.”

Tamika Mallory and Carmen Perez, co-chairs of the Women’s March movement, said they condemn anti-Semitism. However, actions speak louder than words. Mallory attended a Louis Farrakhan rally, the leader of the Nation of Islam, where Farrakhan preached about Jews saying, “The wicked ones in the Jewish community that run America, run the world, own the banks … they are my enemies.” Not only did these words spill out of Farrakhan’s mouth, but the hatred in his tone emphasized his deep despisement of Jews. While Mallory explicitly said she did not agree with many of Farrakhan’s remarks, she refused to denounce him.

I cannot help but question why Mallory, a leader of an inclusive, progressive, and anti-racist movement would refuse to denounce Farrakhan.

I question those leaders of the Women’s March movement who think Jewish people are not part of a minority group but somehow hold white privilege. Clearly, this is not the case, considering 11 Jews were murdered in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 solely for being Jewish, highlighting how prevalent anti-Semitism is today.

There is a blatant double standard when minority groups in the United States are treated one way, but Jewish people are treated another way. The Women’s March movement seems on the fence for its genuine inclusion of Jewish women as a minority group, and because of that, I could not march in or support this rally.