The Women's March

On the 21st of January I went to the Women's March in Washington D.C. I don't think I was prepared for how impactful it would be. I cannot describe the sensation of being surrounded by 500,000 people that believe what you believe.

Why did I march?

Photos all by Avery '17

This was a question I asked myself a lot. Overall, I think that it is really important to stand up for what you believe in and do it peacefully. It is important to live out loud, and to not sit still and stay quiet for other people to be comfortable. While I don't agree with Mr. Trump and what he stands for, I didn't march because of him. I didn't march because I wanted to complain about not getting my way politically. Not once did I disrespect democracy, this country, or the peaceful transfer of power. I marched for women, for affordable healthcare and for reproductive rights. I marched for empowerment and a sense of togetherness in a time of division. I was exercising my democratic right to protest and to stand up for what I believe is wrong: racism, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, oppression, xenophobia, islamophobia, transphobia, injustice, and hate.

It makes me really upset to hear when people think that this march was driven by hate. In no way was this was protest for or to hate. This was not a protest to promote the hate of Donald Trump or to hate the people that support him. This was a protest filled with love. I felt comfortable to talk to anyone at the march, and they definitely talked to me. It was a march filled with respect, empowerment, and love, and I would do it a thousand more times, but, hopefully, we won't have to have a thousand more protests in order for things to change.

Avery ‘17