2018 Women’s March
Image via Nico Danks, Women’s March 2018, Denver CO.
Fierce, powerful, beautiful, strong, and resilient: I’m talking about women. On Jan. 20 was the second Women’s march. Women, men, teenagers, and children gathered to attend the event in major cities including New York City, D.C., Denver, and more. The first Women’s March was last year after Donald Trump’s inauguration. A year later, people are still protesting inequality, harassment and abuse.
The correlation to Donald Trump is that during his campaign women were startled by various sexual comments, especially the infamous Access Hollywood video where Trump said, “grab them by the p*****.” But it’s not only his slurs but different policies and beliefs. The Women’s March is a way for women to rally to protect each other and make their voices heard.
The Women’s March is a large protest for equal rights towards women, LGBTQI+ communities, people of color, as well as healthcare rights.
An organization known as Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice began the movement for the Women’s March, they continue to protect LGBTQI+ human rights. They are a public foundation and they raise their own money.
According to The Denver Post, 50,000 people attended the 2018 March in Denver. Donald Trump then tweeted about the march, celebrating his success for his one year in office.
Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018
People gathered together another year, consistent in their advocacy. With a recent movement trending on social media known as, #Metoo, people are just as passionate. This movement against sexual harassment which has blown up — women have posted to their accounts stories of sexual misconduct, with the hashtag, #MeToo. By doing so, it is a way for those who were sexually abused to say they are not alone. However, it is not only a way for women who were sexually abused to speak out but men as well.
Part of the #Metoo movement began when a victim came forward accusing Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting her, then multiple women came forward claiming he had done the same to them. From then on, many victims of sexual assault have come forward, naming their assaulters. USAToday has a detailed list of all the high-profile figures that have since been accused of sexual misconduct.
At the Women’s March Saturday, Jan. 20th, some moments were unforgettable. The musician/activist Halsey read aloud a poem called, “A Story Like Mine” to a large crowd in New York City. It went into detail about the sexual abuse she has encountered first-hand, as well as against people she cared for. Halsey’s poem shoots emotion towards standing up against sexual assault.
Halsey opens up to a crowd about her experience with sexual assault:
“It’s 2012, and I’m dating a guy, and I sleep in his bed, and I just learned how to drive, and he’s older than me and he drinks whiskey neat, and he’s paying for everything… We’ve been fighting a lot, almost 10 times a week, and he wants to have sex, and I just wanna sleep, but he says I can’t say no to him, this much I owe to him, he buys my dinners, so I have to blow him.”
She goes on to describe details about that boyfriend “forcing” her to her knees, saying, “he’s my boyfriend, so why am I filled with unease.”
I’m truly humbled and overwhelmed by the support I’ve gotten in the past day. Im comforted and saddened by all who can relate. We are in this together.
— h (@halsey) January 22, 2018
Halsey says, “we are in this together.” Stories like hers are why women are rallying together and why they march together.
