Hundreds attended the Boston Women’s Market in Jamaica Plains this past Sunday, displaying a strong sense of unity for feminists in the area and support for local women in business.
Situated outside in the gardens of the Loring-Greenough House, the Women’s Market bustled with activity on an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon. Colorful flowers lined the aisles of booths and tables, each home to a women entrepreneur and her business.
Vendors attending the event included Rachel Leiner Photography, Sarabellum Pottery, IK Bio Jewelry, and Beauty N’ Simplicity body care among many others.
Nearly five hundred patrons attended the event, and thousands more showed their interest in attending, according to the event’s Facebook page.
The support from the Boston community was no surprise to the host of the event, Molly Leger, as she has seen Boston’s talent and spirit countless times. “I’ve been blown away by the response to so many community events: the anti-hate rallies, the Black Lives Matter events, the women’s march, etc.”
The recent political climate in the country has been the catalyst of this unified community spirit, and November’s presidential election pushed the Boston community together to combat the disrespectful and hateful rhetoric of late, explained Leger.
“Communities of women became more tight-knit, while also more inclusive,” wrote Leger, who added that this event was “a safe space for collaboration, kindness, and positivity.”
This comradery was felt by the vendors and women entrepreneurs at this event as well, especially by Rachel Leiner, a freelance photographer from Boston University who chose this event as her first public craft fair.
“It’s really cool to know that there’s a community out there that’s really supportive of one another, and they all value the contributions of women entrepreneurs,” said Leiner.
Since 2007, the number of women-owned businesses increased by 45%, a number that is five times higher than the 9% overall increase for all businesses, according to the 2016 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report.
The Boston community seems to appreciate this trend, with a constant stream of customers pouring into the sunny garden all afternoon.
“I think it’s awesome that this event is supportive of women trying to be creative and successful, and it’s definitely important for me to show support for stuff like this,” said Erica Davis, a local to the area who attended the event.
“I really like the message that a Women’s Market has, and we need to be doing more things like this to help women in business. I think inequality is definitely still present, so anything people can do to fix it is positive,” said Rachel Rogerson, another attendee of the market.
The rise to mainstream popularity of the feminist movement may also play into the success of events like this, as six in ten women now label themselves as a feminist, according to a survey by the Washington Post.
The same survey also reveals that 30% of those polled view feminism as outdated, though a much higher 70% of respondents see it as empowering.
“If you’re not a feminist, you’re a Neanderthal. That’s just it. End of story,” wrote Leger, “Women who have been socialized to be so self-loathing of their own gender need their female community the most.”