On Saturday January 21st, millions of women across the world marched together to advocate for women’s rights. Among those in the crowd were many outspoken Bucknellians who refused to remain silent with the rights of so many women at stake. On that day we marched together, but the work is far from over. Determined to have the march continue on during these next four years and until all women recieve the rights they deserve, Bucknell women share #whyimarch.
Amanda Battle, ’18: BSG President
“So little girls around the world know that they are valued, important, and able to achieve anything they set their minds to. I marched to make it clear to the world that sexist, degrading comments about women will not be normalized. I marched because women’s rights are human rights.”
Danielle Taylor, ’17: Class of 2017 President, Posse Scholar
“‘If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free, since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all systems of oppression.'” -Combahee River Collective
Ella Tazuana-Johnson, ’17: Peace Corps Campus Ambasador, Posse Scholar
“Because even when white feminism dismisses me, I’m still here. I wanted to show up because representation and intersectionality matters. As a woman who has multiple identities, my communities were targeted in the previous election. I marched to stand with everyone, but also the women of color, Muslims, and LGBTQ communities that are not always listened to.”
Morgan Gisholt Minard, ’17: Editor-in-Chief of The Bucknellian
“Because I’m nasty as hell (!) and nobody can take away my rights without a fight. PS: intersectional feminism or it’s not feminism.”
Tamara Sharhi, ’17: Common Ground Facilitator, Arabic TA
“I march for the rights of immigrants. They are the ones who have shaped this nation and it makes no sense for people to claim them to be illegal when this entire nation has been kept alive by the blood, sweat, and tears of immigrants. No human being is illegal.”
Zoe Russell, ’17: Peer Writing Consultant, Posse Scholar
“My skin represents one part of me that deserves to be heard, my sexual identity another. And for those two parts of me there are countless other parts of other women that deserve to be heard. Right now, seen and unseen, those parts are screaming. There was no way I would have been anywhere else this day.”
Ruby Gould, ’19: Opinions Co-Editor of The Bucknellian
“I march because when I asked a friend of color if she would attend, she replied that she was afraid of police violence. I march for her and for people of color who are persecuted on a daily basis.”
Mariele Saunders-Shultz, ’17: Posse Scholar
“I march because I hate Donald Trump and everything he stands for, and I don’t want our country to go backwards.”
Emma Halper, ’17: Her Campus VP Tech
“I march for human rights and to show solidarity and with women across the world. As Audre Lorde states; “I am not free while any woman is unfree.” It is 2017 and truly upsetting that we still need to be protesting this, but here we are. It was a really incredible feeling to be in such a loving and positive environment with so many people that were all there for the same reasons. This is just the beginning!”
Gabby Gottchall. ’17: Bucknell Silouettes President, Her Campus Copy Editor
“I march because President Trump doesn’t speak about respect, especially when it comes to women. We need to know that is not ok. I march because of the nationwide worry about the treatment of immigrants, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, care for the poor, the disabled and children, the future of education, access to healthcare and the protection of the environment. And so many more reasons.”
Amanda Relick, ’17: Her Campus CC
“I march because it is about time we recognize the opression that affects all of us under the current structure of society, but especially immigrants, women of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. I march because I refuse to be silenced, and I will yell at the top of my lungs until the voices of all women are heard. In this fight we win together, and we lose together.”
For ideas on how we can march on, read this article by Jenna Kline and visit https://www.womensmarch.com!