After aspiring to be a part of the Women’s March for the past two years, I was finally able to join my fellow dissenters in Boston for the third annual wave on January 19th, 2019. While turnout this year could not compete with the 150,000 participants that charged the streets the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, there were still 10,000 of us stomping our boots down Beacon Street in support of women’s rights, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, the LGBTQP community, and political activism against the president. The theme of this year’s march was “Until all voices are heard,” which befittingly embodied the solidarity I witnessed as people of all walks of life gathered on the Boston Common. I was pleased to see how many men showed up in support of women and although I can’t say for certain what the ratio of women to men was, I can say I saw a lot of dudes rocking picket signs, chants, and pussy hats. People showed up with their partners, friends, children, and dogs in dedication to the cause.
The March began sometime after one, moments after Ayanna Presley, newly appointed first black Congresswoman of Massachusetts, gave a driving speech. Her opening lines were straight to the point on a day where the temperature hovered little over twenty degrees. “I know it’s cold out here,” she said, “But the pursuit of justice is uncomfortable and inconvenient.” In her speech, Ayanna quoted Coretta Scott King, denounced cynicism in the face of adversity, and revved protesters up for their victory lap – celebrating the record 42 women who recently joined Congress. “We exist!” she shouted. “We resist! We rise!”
It was a powerful moment when we stepped in unison into the streets of Boston waving our picket signs and marching to the beat of a few lone drums. A local brass band marched proudly alongside us, led by a guy on stilts sporting orange, striped balloon pants. We chanted mantras like “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,” “Hey, hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” “No hate, no fear; everyone is welcome here,” and “Trump, escucha, estamos en la lucha.”
Photo by Alicia Goodwin
My favorite chant, though, was of the classic question and answer variety. Groups of activists perched along the edges of the parade route, inciting demonstrators to acknowledge their place in democracy. “Show me what democracy looks like!” they coaxed, their commanding voices bellowing over the rhythm of the drums. “This is what democracy looks like!” protesters echoed back. I even befriended a few marchers advocating for cinnamon rolls instead of gender roles. “Cinnamon – rolls!” they chanted, pounding their fists into the air and pumping their signs up and down. “Cinnamon – rolls!” The artistic rebellion displayed in each and every sign was a true delight.
Moreover though, despite an impending snow storm and the penetrating cold, people gathered at the end of the rally to hand out pretzels to tooth-chattering protestors, photographers motioned for demonstrators to pose for pictures, and fellow activists complimented one another’s posters and apparel. Running a feminist blog can require some pretty thick skin, being that through ongoing research I often discover online dens of misogynistic propaganda bashing feminism, but at the Women’s March for once I felt surrounded by likeminded people, joining forces for a communal cause. Admittedly, it was refreshing.
Photo by Alicia Goodwin
Once I’d taken the “T” back to Riverside station and driven home, I hopped on YouTube to see how the March turned out in other cities. I was genuinely impressed with a segment I saw via The Daily Signal, which interviewed participants in Washington D.C. So many of the interviewees slayed on camera. This year in particular, the Women’s March received significant pushback since the founders are apparently associated with Nation of Islam minister, Louis Farrakhan, who has become notorious for his anti-Semitic rhetoric. In addition, people have begun questioning a previous 2017 comment by the founders suggesting that pro-life women are not welcome at the march. Nonetheless, those interviewed by The Daily Signal were quick to shut down questions which seemed eager to muddy the cause. They brought the discussion back to what matters and quelled the gossip that currently threatens to dismantle the movement and undermine the progress it’s seen.
Photo by Alicia Goodwin
“The issue has been blown a little bit out of proportion” Laura Pratt, of Canada, stated, speaking into the mic. “I feel there is direct media target because it’s a women’s movement and I think we all have people that we may be connected to and they might not have the most stellar character.” A friend supplemented her statement saying, “Not that we give people a pass, but we want to pull focus back to the women. That’s what’s important here.” And quite frankly, I couldn’t agree more. Accusations of anti-Semitism seem a little wishy-washy when they’re based on mere associations and the semantics of whether or not the founders of the Women’s March officially denounced or disagreed with Farrakhan’s statements. In fact, it seems more likely to me that the founders have had connections with Farrakhan in the interest of supporting – and wanting to include – diverse people in the feminist movement rather than because they are fully in agreement with his personal beliefs and diction.
Another concern of mine, in light of the controversy, is that those who already don’t support the March are attempting to hinder its progress by implying the founders are less than perfect and thus suggesting the origins of the movement itself are flawed. The thing is, though, the movement’s not about the founders. They are only a few people in the midst of a crusade that has garnered the support of thousands. The Women’s March is all about getting everyone involved to improve policies that marginalize women, the LGBTQP community, people of color, immigrants, and those with disabilities. It’s about inclusion. And as far as including pro-life women goes, I agree with Alex Polumbo and Casey Hobbs (The Daily Signal): “All women should be welcome; all women need to support all women.” I think that pretty much sums it up.
Sometimes, fighting for equality can feel like a burden; being a feminist in 2019 elicits far too many eye rolls and indignant remarks than it should, but despite the barrage of criticism and continual denouncement of contemporary issues, it feels pretty damn good to be standing on the right side of history. Forward-thinking political activists have always been shunned, silenced, and shit on throughout history – just ask Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King. So it’s totally fine if some people want to condemn my beliefs or doubt my cause. I have plenty of brothers and sisters in my corner and I certainly have a swell of pride filling my chest with hope.
Photo by Alicia Goodwin