On Saturday, January 20, almost one year since Trump’s inauguration as President, women around the U.S. took to the streets to march in support of progressive causes and to show their dissatisfaction with the Trump Administration. Demonstrators rallied in great numbers in cities from Los Angeles to Seattle to New York City, some even protesting outside of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Hotel dressed as handmaids in reference to “The Handmaiden’s Tale.” According to an advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, over 200,000 protestors attended the march in New York City.
Even Trump addressed the Women’s March via Twitter. He wrote on Saturday:
Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!
Among the marchers were many Yale students, from a variety of backgrounds and interests. The Politic collected a series of photos, videos, and reflections from some of those in attendance.
I’m Oishani Basuchoudhary, and I’m a first-year in Berkeley. I went to the Women’s March because there’s this amazing sense of community at events like it, when you’re surrounded by people who care about the same issues that you do, and who want to see the same problems fixed as you do. I think the march reinforced how furious people are with the Trump administration and its actions over the past year. I went to last years march on DC, and I remember the vibe was very “love in the face of bigotry.” This year felt more like anger in the face of bigotry.
Image contributed by Oishani Basuchoudhary
2017 was exhausting for a lot of different reasons, so I went to find the energy that comes from being surrounded by such a large number people who are just as fed up and tired as you are and are ready to keep doing something about it. It isn’t just about showing up on one day, for one march, but about finding the courage to take action afterwards.
Veena is part of the leadership team of Reproductive Justice Action League at Yale (RALY), which sponsored a group of students to attend the Women’s March with funding help from Yale’s Dwight Hall.
I think the march meant even more to me this year after a year’s worth of dealing with the madness of the 2017 political landscape. It showed me that the resistance is stronger than ever, that we are not tired, and that we will continue to fight for what we believe in.
Irene is Communications Director for RALY.
Berenice is a writer for The Politic and a visiting international student from Mexico studying Hispanic Literature.
I marched because women from all walks of life deserve equality in the eyes of the law and society.
A colorful “pussy gate” sign. (Image contributed by Kendra Libby)
Anna, a Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Politic , is a junior in Grace Hopper College majoring in East Asian Studies.
I went [to the Women’s March] because there’s nothing like not hearing your own voice in a sea of people chanting and fighting for what they believe in. It’s cathartic and empowering.