Women across US to strike in opposition to Trump era

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Women across the U.S. will seek to highlight the prominent role they play in the society and economy on Wednesday as women around the world mark International Women's Day.

A group that previously organized likely unprecedented mass rallies in major U.S. cities across the country is seeking to have women refrain from working and shopping tomorrow while wearing red "as a color of signifying revolutionary love and sacrifice".

The protest, dubbed A Day Without A Woman, comes on the heels of a similar event that sought to highlight the importance of immigrants in the American economy, calling on them to similarly stay home from work.

The February general strike called A Day Without Immigrants hit some American cities harder than others, with the nation's capital being especially impacted as many area businesses remained shuttered on a weekday.

It is unclear how dramatic the impact of the women's action will be.

In New York, participants are expected to gather at noon in Central Park before participating in a rally at 4 p.m.

Dozens of schools across the eastern seaboard will reportedly be closed, as teachers, the majority of whom are women, participate in the strike.

Outside of the nation's capital, all 16 public schools in Alexandria, Virginia will be shuttered after more than 300 staff members requested leave on Wednesday, which the school system said in a statement "may be attributed to the observance of International Women’s Day".

A day after Donald Trump was sworn in as 45th President of the United States in January, the Women’s March in capital D.C. gathered hundreds of thousands of people.