On Saturday, September 2nd, the turnout, energy, and activism at the 2021 Women’s March for Abortion Access served as a world-wide reminder that persistence is a beautiful, beautiful thing; from the speakers at Freedom Plaza to the signs held before the Supreme Court, it was a day of courage to say the least.
It was a day of courage—and of dogs. Amidst the unity and protests of young women in the heart of D.C. marched hundreds of their canine companions, decked out in their finest feminist gear and bling. As we made our way up Capitol Hill in pursuit of social justice, so did they, pausing only to soak up the shade or sniff a nearby shoe—simultaneously defying the patriarchy.
If we can learn one thing from dogs, it is loyalty. As both a dog-owner and an avid supporter of women’s universal healthcare, I believe that loyalty to the cause is equally important as passion when it comes to invoking positive change. The huskies with their thick fur coats marched alongside their humans despite the intensity of the D.C. heat; the chihuahuas despite the shortness of their legs. And on a day dedicated to testing the limits—to moving forward—they did their part in style.
At this moment, I feel incredibly lucky to live in a city defined by youth activism, by progress, and by hope. From the most primitive centuries of history, women have faced backlash in search of basic civil liberties that are still denied, denounced, and challenged to this day at the hands of those in power. This year’s Women’s March was a step—a thousand steps, actually—closer towards a world that I will be proud to live in; and a majority of those steps were paw-print shaped. On behalf of those seeking a brighter future, thank you to our four-legged feminists.
At the peak of her career as a Supreme Court Justice and attorney, the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated that “women belong where decisions are being made”—and this weekend, the dogs who marched in honor of her legacy reserved a seat there, too.