Day 3: Retaliation
Ladies, let’s get in formation.
The day following the Inauguration, Fox News ignored any words ushered by a figure sympathetic to vaginas. Meanwhile, cities around the world rallied behind women and women’s rights. Students and professors of many intersectional identities travelled from Cuse to share their voices and block the streets, while wearing pink cat-themed attire dubbed “pussy hats.”
The significance of the worldwide marches, from Europe to America, was in retaliation to the Trump administration. The President’s sexist rhetoric and conservative policies sparked one woman to begin rallying her friends for this event—until it became a worldwide phenomenon attended by many races, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds. Post-election, Trump stated—or, rather, implied, as he does most things—that he will appoint a Supreme Court Justice who opposes Roe v. Wade, creating a national uprising in support of reproductive rights. His anti-immigration policies and other offensive comments were also called out on signs marching through many downtowns.
Here are a few accounts of Syracuse students who attended the Women’s Marches on January 21, 2017. This day will provide women with a blanket of comfort during a period of intolerance and hopefully remind Trump that Americans will not suffer silently.
“I bridge a lot of what this administration has been hateful towards. If I stood in silence, if I stayed home, I would be doing a disservice to a lot of who I am. I would be giving power to a government that essentially hates me.” – Carolee Lantigua, Seneca Falls Women’s March
“I guess maybe the most amazing thing to me today was being in the place where women’s rights…basically started to become a reality. It was really special, pairing this with seeing the older generations protesting, who are still standing up for women’s rights and human rights…and probably have been their whole lives.” – Emilie Scardilla, Seneca Falls Women’s March
“We met at E 47th between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave and I was there for 5 hours and didn’t move one block because it was so packed… Chuck Schumer came, and he walked through the crowd and spoke to like everyone.” – Meghan Grassadonia, NYC Women’s March
“I marched for all of the women in my life, between relatives, friends, and future generations of women to come. It is sad to think that in this day and age we are still struggling with getting equal pay for women and [women’s] right to choose what they want to do with their bodies.” – Keelan Erhard, Philadelphia Women’s March
“It was a friendly crowd and extremely peaceful. Everyone said, ‘Excuse me,’ as they passed by, but then erupted in anger at Trump’s name. It was an incredible meeting of exceptional people. I was humbled to hear the words of such inspiring women and honored to walk next to them as well. It was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.” – Ellie Breslin, Washington, D.C. Women’s March
“It was very peaceful and loving and progressive [and] it was good to feel surrounded by so many like-minded people.” – Adham El Sharkawy, Washington, D.C. Women’s March
“It was a beautiful place of inclusivity, a far contrast to this administration.” – Carolee Lantigua, Seneca Falls Women’s March
Photos courtesy of Carolee Lantigua, Keelan Erhard, and Ellie Breslin