On Jan. 21 over 5 million people worldwide and over 1 million people in Washington D.C participated in a day of empowerment, awareness, and controversy. Focusing on local reaction, Her Campus Kent State asked students for their thoughts on The Women’s March:
“The amount of love, acceptance, and support on that day was incredible… I wish women were like that all the time.”
“The concept [of the march] was great as far as women-aligned people banding together to counter misogyny. However, many participants were exclusionary towards transgender women and intersex people. Many signs said “pussy power” and “a vagina will take you out just like it brought you in”. Many wrote sayings on pads and stuck them to the wall, chanted over a black woman but insisted that a white women speak. The issue with this is that it equates womanhood to vaginas and menstruation, while wasting pads that could’ve gone to homeless women. The Women’s March felt more like a cisgender, white, middle and upper class march and could’ve been much more inclusive as feminism should be. As a marginalized woman aligned person, The Women’s March had great potential and could’ve been more considerate of all participants.”
“I’m totally supportive of women’s rights, however I think everyone sort of jumped the gun by protesting on the second day of Trump’s presidency. I definitely think Trump has said things that are inexcusable and there are things that scare me about him being president. I just don’t think it was the right time to protest. Overall I don’t think he’s going to do much harm to women, because there are people in Congress that can stop him. I’m confident our government will protect us as women, however if they don’t then I’d be out in the streets protesting. We should wait it out, just to see what he is like as president and give him a chance.”
“A successful and proactive march for all involved and an effective way for voices to finally be heard.”
“It [the march] was a hundred percent necessary. The movement wasn’t to say that Trump wasn’t America’s president, but to say that he’s not going to suppress women any further. That women and all minorities alike will fight for each other and our rights. Its 2017, America must move forward not backward. And now because of the Women’s March we have the Scientist March, the LGBT March, and I’m sure there will be more to come.”
“I’m inspired to keep on fighting. For myself and for those who unable to do it themselves.”
“There wouldn’t have been such a public uproar if it wasn’t for celebrities. People just joined because they thought it was the cool thing to do, rather than actually understanding and believing the cause.”
“Seeing even that children and dogs were marching made my heart so happy”
“I was so proud to be a woman that day”
“I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of love and it took my breath away. That’s what the world needs right now more than anything…love. ”