2017 Women's March
The 2017 Women's March was a significant event held in Washington, D.C., on January 21, 2017, aimed at advocating for women's rights and various social issues. Sparked by the election of Donald Trump, whose remarks and policies raised concerns among many, the march drew an estimated 500,000 participants in Washington and over two million globally. Organizers encouraged inclusivity, welcoming not only women but individuals from diverse backgrounds, including people of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ community members.
The march sought to highlight a broad range of issues, including reproductive rights, immigration policy, climate change, and racial injustice. It featured speeches from notable figures such as Elizabeth Warren and Gloria Steinem, alongside performances by artists like Madonna and Alicia Keys. The event was peaceful and characterized by chants and creative signage, including phrases like "Love Trumps Hate."
The Women's March served as a catalyst for further activism, inspiring subsequent events like the March for Science and A Day Without a Woman. It aimed to motivate participants to remain engaged in advocacy and to influence political action, culminating in plans for future marches focused on voter registration and women's political participation.
2017 Women's March
The 2017 Women's March was an event held in Washington, DC, on January 21, 2017, in support of women's rights and other issues. About five hundred thousand people participated in the Washington march, while more than two million others took part in similar demonstrations around the world that day. The organizers of the march wanted to encourage everyone—not only women—to continue to stand up and fight for their rights. The march inspired others to host similar events.
Background
The events that transpired during the 2016 US presidential election motivated organizers of the Women's March on Washington. Former first lady, New York senator, and secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton became the Democratic candidate for president. Donald J. Trump, a wealthy businessman with no political experience, emerged as the Republican nominee.
Clinton had decades of political experience, and she focused her campaign on issues such as protecting the nation's health care policy, changing immigration and gun control laws, and creating new jobs. However, she had some serious issues and conflicts during her campaign that hurt her reputation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) examined claims that she used a private email server for government work when she was secretary of state. The FBI did not find her guilty of any crime. Her image was further harmed when emails between her and members of her campaign team were stolen and leaked by computer hackers.
Trump had no experience in politics or the military. He vowed to change the country's health care policy and reform immigration laws; he also wanted to build a wall along the US-Mexican border. Trump's candidacy was plagued with conflict as well. He was very outspoken and used social media to voice his opinions on many issues. He made negative remarks about women, Mexicans, Muslims, and foreigners. When the media reported that he did not pay federal income tax for nearly two decades, he refused to release his tax returns to the public. Trump's image continued to suffer when he could be heard on a leaked video tape from 2005 bragging about touching women without their consent. He later apologized for the statement but denied any actual wrongdoing. However, several women came forward to accuse the candidate of sexual misconduct.
Many people predicted that Clinton would win the election. They considered Trump the longshot since he had no political or military experience. Still, on November 8, 2016, voters elected Trump to the presidency. He received more electoral votes, but Clinton won the popular vote.
Overview
After the election, many people wondered how a man who made negative comments about many groups of people, including women, could be elected president. Teresa Shook from Hawaii was one of these people. She was angry about the election and worried about her rights as a woman. She wanted to talk to other women who felt the same way. Shook logged onto Facebook and then proposed an idea for a pro-women's march. When no one took the lead on the idea, she decided to create the event herself and invited forty people. By the next day, more than ten thousand people joined the event.
Within weeks, a few hundred thousand people were interested in the Women's March, which was set for Washington, DC, on January 21, 2017, the day after Trump took office. The march continued to grow, and many groups—such as men, people of color, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community—were included in the event. In addition to women's rights and health care, march organizers wanted to highlight issues such as discrimination, immigration policy, LGBTQ rights, racial injustice, gun control, and climate change.
About five hundred thousand people arrived in Washington, DC, on January 21, 2017, for the march. It was one of the largest protests in US history. The march was peaceful and included singing and chanting. Some marchers brought signs that read "Love Trumps Hate!" while others described themselves as "nasty women" in response to a comment Trump made about Clinton during the election.
Several prominent people spoke during the event, including Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, activist Gloria Steinem, actress America Ferrera, and Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards. Performers such as Madonna, the Indigo Girls, and Alicia Keys provided entertainment.
People in other cities throughout the United States and around the world held similar marches. In Chicago, Illinois, the turnout was so large that organizers had to change the route of the march. Individuals in Paris, France, gathered at the Eiffel Tower, where they chanted and sang. People who could not attend these events used social media sites to post their support. Clinton, who did not attend, posted a message on Twitter thanking all of the demonstrators.
The women who organized the march hoped that people would continue to speak out after the event. They urged them to contact their congressional representatives to ask for their support regarding issues such as reproductive rights, health care, immigration, and gun control. They also encouraged individuals to vote for candidates who supported views that aligned with their beliefs, such as opposing violence against women, Muslims, and members of the LGBTQ community.
Other groups that worried about Trump's policies and those unhappy with his remarks about certain issues copied the format of the Women's March and organized events of their own. The March for Science, held on April 22, 2017, at the National Mall in Washington, DC, was organized to protest Trump's proposed budget cuts to scientific agencies. A Day without a Woman was held on March 8, 2017, to show how important women are to the US economy. Women participated in the event by wearing red, taking the day off from work, and avoiding shopping at businesses not owned by women.
More importantly, the Women's March on Washington inspired those who might not have thought about getting involved to take a stand on issues important to them, such as protecting health care and reproductive rights. Afterward, some people decided to run for political office. Others chose to volunteer. Some even lobbied their elected officials to make sure they represented the views of their electors.
A second Women's March was announced for January 21, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will focus on getting more women involved in voting. Organizers will focus on registering voters, convincing more women to run for office, and helping those women win political seats. Similar Women's Marches were planned in other national and international cities.
Bibliography
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