On January 21 , 2017 , hundreds of thousands of women marched on Washington D . C . in what the Women ’ s March website hoped would send the message “ that women ’ s rights are human rights .” Simultaneous marches took place in cities around the world . Several hundred Canadian women attended the Washinton march and one Windsorite willingly shared with The Hub her reasons why .
Why I March
By Catherine Hundleby
The Women ’ s March on Washington ( WMW ) and affiliated marches around the world brought together hundreds of thousands of people in individual marches , millions altogether , and a range of different concerns . People marched for reasons including reproductive rights , poverty , police violence , water rights and environmental security . My own reasons were quite complex , as a philosopher , as a feminist , and as an anti-racist white professional cis-gender woman with dual US-Canadian citizenship .
Most basically , the election of US President Donald Trump alarmed me in its reinforcement of racism , sexism , and mega-corporate capitalism . It feeds into a politics of hate , resentment , and distrust : hate of strangers , resentment of change , and distrust of everyone . The slogan “ Make America Great Again ” hearkens back to the ideals of 1950s , but even Normal Rockwell saw the importance of desegregation . Trump ’ s nostalgia whitewashes a period of immense oppression ; it romanticizes the past of the US white middle-class .
For many this march was their first – they could not stand by any longer ; and I ’ ve never gone such a distance or attended one so large as the WMW . Yet the basic reason to rally and march is always the same : to learn from others and connect with like-minded people and also to express one ’ s orientation to organizations that we challenge , resist , or oppose . As Tabatha Southey says in The Globe and Mail , “ protests are part mundane industry conference , part triumph of the human spirit .”
Whereas the new US politics seems to value power over truth and conflict over collaboration , the WMW promised and proved to be an honest and unifying event , based on compassion and commitment to the value and autonomy of all people . That the marches spread across the globe shows how broadly we share the US concern with individual liberty and fact-based reasoning .
Admittedly , there were negative , anti-Trump signs at the WMW – my favourite exclaimed “ super callous fascist racist extra bragga docious !” But they were humorous , even light-hearted , and the overwhelming majority of signs , slogans , and chants demanded care for people rather than demonizing them – nothing like the hateful racism and sexism of Trump rallies . If you watch nothing else of WMW rally , see Janelle Monae ’ s Hell You Talmbout , a response to violence against black people that honours the victims .
Among my favourite signs was a giant crocheted uterus above the word “ freedom .” Its pink yarn echoed the hundreds of thousands of hand-made “ pussyhats ” that provided not just a visual sign of unity but also a sharing of individual expression . I personally delivered about 40 hats made by my friends and me . They also provided a way for those who could not attend to share in the experience .
Of course , the real significance of a protest is in its effect , and there is no reason to believe the WMA will influence the Trump administration . However , for many this will not be their only march , and they will become active in their democracies , including government at all levels . They will write letters , stage further protests , and I expect , as Michael Moore pleaded , that some will run for office .
Find out more ! Watch the Monae video here and read about the March here