The Women’s March Makes History

People are gathered in the streets of Washington January 21, 2017

The day after the inauguration of President Trump women and men flooded cities around the world in unity while wearing pink hats that were handed on the streets of Washington. The Women’s March in Washington is estimated to have had three times as many people as Trump’s inauguration crowd with half a million and a total of 4.2 million nationwide people in over 600 cities (reported by KWLL). More than thirty groups joined as partners, including the Muslim Women’s Alliance and Girls Who Code. The marches also went internationally in 60 countries, making it the largest one day protest in American history.

Despite the large numbers, there were zero arrests made in all of the marches from around the world, even though the origins of the march were out of frustration and despair. Because of Trump’s platform and political views, women wanted to “send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world that women’s rights are human rights.” His admitted sexual misconduct and threat to women’s reproductive and health resources encouraged women to protect their rights. Although the march wasn’t initially about being anti-Trump. It was in regards of being progressive in reproductive rights, immigration reform, religious discrimination, LGBTQ rights, gender and racial inequities, and workers’ pay rights.

Some of the signs at the marches focused on a variety of issues. They read, “Build bridges, not walls,” “Boys will be boys,” “We shall overcomb,” and “Make America Kind Again.” Crowds in Washington D.C. were so tight people could barely move, and it still remained a peaceful protest.

Locally there was Women’s March in Dubuque, Iowa. More than 400 people were reported in attendance. Local Dubuquer said, “I am here because I am a nasty woman.”

There has been obvious division in the country the last few months, and the Women’s March brought millions of people together. It gave Americans hope and made a mark on history. Even Donald Trump tweeted himself, “Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don’t always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.”