2018 Women's March

2018 Women's March
Part of the Women's rights movement and Protests against Donald Trump
2018 Women's March in New York City
DateJanuary 20, 2018
Location
Worldwide, with flagship march in New York City
MethodsProtest march

The 2018 Women's March was a global protest that occurred on January 20, 2018, on the anniversary of the 2017 Women's March.

About

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In 2018, women's groups across the United States coordinated mass rallies, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants in hundreds of cities, towns, and suburbs, despite disinformation efforts by Russia to plant and deepen division among them.[1] Events in the United States were accompanied by events in Canada, the UK, Japan, Italy, and several other countries. Some of the largest rallies in the United States were held in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The mission that the march is aimed towards is to gather the political power of diverse women and their communities to create a change in the society. They strive to break down the system of oppression with the means of nonviolent action led by morality and reverence.[2][3][4]

By January 2018, the #MeToo movement had become "a galvanizing force at many of the rallies".[5][6]

Participation

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Main article: List of 2018 Women's March locations

Around 250 marches, rallies, and actions took place on the anniversary of the 2017 Women's March, many coordinated by March On, the coalition of many of the Women's Marches across the country.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Women's March Incorporated, a group of some of the women who organized the 2017 Women's March, organized a rally in Las Vegas under "Power To The Polls".[8][11]

Washington, D.C.

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In Washington, D.C. thousands gathered at the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial, although the number of individuals who attended was lower than the previous year's march.[15][3] Speakers included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).[3]

New York City

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More than 200,000 people marched in the protest according to an official count by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Speakers included Michael Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Padma Lakshmi, Amy Schumer, Laura Benanti, Amber Tamblyn, Patricia Arquette, Rosie Perez, Piper Perabo, Drew Barrymore, and singers Cyndi Lauper and Halsey.

Los Angeles

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'Chinga tu Pelo' sign, 2018 – Los Angeles Women's March Downtown Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti estimated that 600,000[16] marched in Los Angeles, California. Some women chanted, "¡Sí, se puede!" or "Yes, we can!"[3]

Celebrity participation

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Chicago

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It's estimated that 300,000 people marched in Chicago, Illinois which grew since last year. Speakers included Democratic donor Tom Steyer.[3][20]

Philadelphia

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Thousands attended the march.[3] The city did not release an official number, but organizers unofficially estimated the crowd to be larger than fifty thousand, the number that marched in 2017.[21]

Seattle

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Thousands gathered at the Seattle's Capitol Hill to participate in the second annual Women's March. The march commenced at 10 a.m. at the Cal Anderson Park where Teresa Mosqueda addressed the marchers. U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal had planned to participate, but was hampered by the circumstances in Washington, D.C.[22][23][24]

North Carolina

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In Charlotte, North Carolina, thousands participated in the march. The march commenced at First Ward Park and ended at the Romare Bearden Park.[25]

New Hampshire

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Over one thousand individuals partook in the Women's March outside the New Hampshire Statehouse. Due to the circumstances in Washington, D.C., a few of the planned speakers were unable to show up, including Senator Maggie Hassan and Congresswoman Annie Kuster.[26]

Virginia

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In Carytown in Richmond, the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, newly elected Governor Ralph Northam participated in the Women's March. The crowd of over 1,000 individuals broke into cheers when the governor donned a pink pussy hat and when a woman ran down the middle of the street carrying a pink flag with the word "resist".[27] Other large demonstrations were held throughout Virginia in resistance to the presidency of Donald Trump and comments concerning sexual harassment and immigration, as well as recently made administrative decisions regarding those topics made by Donald Trump.[28][29]

Mar-a-lago

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Hundreds of protesters marched outside Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, although the President was not there as planned, due to the government shutdown.[3]

Alaska

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Marches and rallies took place across Alaska.[30]

Rome

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It's estimated that thousands of people marched in Rome. Speakers included Asia Argento.[3]

Las Vegas

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On January 21, the organization Women's March Incorporated hosted a rally, Power to the Polls, in Las Vegas.[8] The event highlighted their launch of the national voter registration tour to get a million new voters registered.[31] Flipping battleground swing states (such as Nevada) in the 2018 midterm elections was one of the main goals.[32][33]

Response

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On the day of the march, President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter: "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!"[34]

Impeachment March

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See also: Impeachment March
Impeachment March in Portland, Oregon

Impeachment Marches (or Impeach Trump protests), rallies against President Donald Trump, were first held during Fourth of July celebrations in 2017, asking Congress to begin the impeachment process against Trump.[35] They have been described as sister rallies to the Women's March rallies,[36] and were held in select cities in 2018.[37]

Locations

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Main article: List of 2018 Women's March locations

The 2018 Women's Marches took place in many cities around the world.

Stories

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Sexual assault advocacy

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On January 20, 2018, in New York City, Halsey delivered a speech to thousands of protesters at the second annual Women's March.[38] The Me Too and Time's Up movements have pushed progressive activists, including celebrities, to demand immediate social and political change.[39]

Instead of a traditional speech, Halsey performed a five-minute poem titled A Story Like Mine, in which she talked about sexual assault and violence she and others had experienced.[38] Her personal narrative included accompanying her best friend to Planned Parenthood after she had been raped, her personal account of sexual assault by neighbors and boyfriends, and women sexually assaulted by Olympic doctor Larry Nassar.[40]

Halsey further expressed her belief that celebrities are more probably to be heard and recognized as legitimately significant in media systems and that they have the power to connect popular culture to political culture, stating, "Listen, and then yell at the top of your lungs, be a voice for all those who have prisoner tongues."[41][40]

Halsey's speech, along with others, were intended to prompt women to reflect and debate misogynistic and patriarchal societal values. Halsey read, "What do you mean this happened to me? You can't put your hands on me. You don't know what my body has been through. I'm supposed to be safe now. I've earned it."[42][40] Halsey said, "Every friend I know has a story like mine."[41] Halsey completed her speech by requesting all—"Black, Asian, poor, wealthy, trans, cis, Muslim, Christian"—sexual assault victims to listen and support each other.[40]

Pussyhats

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For the 2018 Women's March, some organizers discouraged people from wearing pussyhats because they believed "the pink pussyhat excludes and is offensive to transgender women and gender nonbinary people who don't have typical female genitalia and to women of color because their genitals are more likely to be brown than pink".[43] The name actually refers to the resemblance of the top corners of the hats to cat ears and attempts to reclaim the derogatory term "pussy", a play on Donald Trump's widely reported 2005 remarks that women would let him "grab them by the pussy".[44][45]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Palestinian American Women's Association (PAWA) withdrew from the Los Angeles march because Scarlett Johansson was a featured speaker. The PAWA criticize Johansson's role as "first global brand ambassador" for the Israeli company SodaStream. She was featured in their television commercial during the February 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII.[17] SodaStream is one of the Israeli companies targeted by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement,[18] launched in 2005 to pressure Israel to end the occupation. SodaStream operates its primary plant in Mishor Adumim on contested land.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Barry, Ellen (September 18, 2022). "How Russian Trolls Helped Keep the Women's March Out of Lock Step". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Our Mission". Women's March. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Tiefenthäler, Ainara (January 20, 2018). "Women's March 2018: Thousands of Protesters Take to the Streets". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  4. ^ "Women's March draws thousands as Trump term enters second year". France 24 via Reuters. January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  5. ^ King, Laura; Castillo, Andrea; Agrawal, Nina (January 20, 2018). "At Women's Marches nationwide, setting sights on the ballot box and hailing #MeToo". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Women's March 2018 is all about voting and seeking office". dailykos.com. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  7. ^ Hamedy, Saba. "Strategy divisions as Women's March returns". CNN. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "In Nevada, Leading With Those Normally Left Out". Vogue. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  9. ^ Gambino, Lauren (January 19, 2018). "Thousands to return to the streets for anniversary of Women's March". the Guardian. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  10. ^ Women’s March Draws Massive Crowds In Cities Across The Nation. By Chris D'Angelo, Emma Gray, and Alanna Vagianos. Jan. 20, 2018. HuffPost.
  11. ^ a b Second Women’s March draws huge anti-Trump crowds as the government shuts down. By April M. Short, on Alternet originally. Jan.22, 2018 on Salon.
  12. ^ 2018 Women’s March Locations. By Erin Gistaro on Jan 12, 2018. Feminist Majority Foundation.
  13. ^ "Where to Buy Olivia Wilde's 'Impeach Trump' Christmas Sweatshirt Made by Women's March Organizers". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  14. ^ "We are marching again! Join Us!". March On The Polls 2018. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  15. ^ "Thousands gather for 2018 Women's March in DC". WUSA9. Washington, DC. January 20, 2019. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  16. ^ Griffiths, Brent D. (January 20, 2018). "Hundreds of thousands protest in D.C., across country on women's march anniversary". Politico. Retrieved January 21, 2018. "According to local media reports, organizers said some 300,000 people attended the rally in Chicago... New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's office said 120,00 people attended a protest there. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti...[estimated] 600,000 people turned out for its rally.
  17. ^ "Israeli firm SodaStream hires Scarlett Johansson as its new face". Haaretz. January 12, 2014. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  18. ^ Lozano, Carlos (January 20, 2018). "Palestinian American group shuns L.A. Women's March over Scarlett Johansson's ties to Israeli company". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 21, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  19. ^ Mackey, Robert (January 30, 2014). "Scarlett Johansson Chooses SodaStream Over Oxfam After Dispute About West Bank Factory". Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  20. ^ Dube Dwilson, Stephanie (January 20, 2018). "Women's March Numbers: Here's the Attendance by City in 2018 [CROWD PHOTOS]". heavy. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  21. ^ Orso, Anna (January 20, 2018). "Women's March on Philadelphia: Thousands protest for the second time". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  22. ^ "Renewal and resistance in Seattle—thousands take to streets for Women's March". The Seattle Times. January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  23. ^ KOMO Staff (January 20, 2018). "Thousands take part in Seattle Women's March 2.0". KOMO. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  24. ^ Cornwell, Paige (January 20, 2018). "Seattle's Women's March: How it unfolded". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  25. ^ Dube Dwilson, Stephanie (January 22, 2018). "Women's March Numbers: Here's the Attendance by City in 2018 [CROWD PHOTOS]". heavy. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  26. ^ Press, The Association (January 20, 2018). "More than 1,000 at Women's March to New Hampshire capitol". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  27. ^ "Women's March 2018: Global demonstrations continue into 2nd day". CBS News. January 21, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  28. ^ "Women's March 2018: First Day Of Marches Sees Thousands Attend". Portsmouth, VA Patch. January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  29. ^ "Richmond women's march draws more than 1,000 in protest". The Washington Times. Associated Press. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  30. ^ "From Juneau to Nome, Alaskans gather for Women's March rallies". Anchorage Daily News. January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  31. ^ "Everything to Know About the 2018 Women's Marches Planned Nationwide This Weekend". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  32. ^ Altavena, Lily (January 21, 2018). "Las Vegas Women's March 2018 draws thousands to Sunday event". The Republic via AZ Central. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  33. ^ Sreenivasan, Hari (January 21, 2018). "Women's March focuses on voter registration at Las Vegas event". PBS NewsHour. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  34. ^ Sanchez, Ray (January 20, 2018). "Trump tweets support of Women's March that's also protesting...him". CNN. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  35. ^ Alcorn, Chauncey (July 4, 2017). "Fourth of July protests are an American tradition, historian says". Mic.com. Mic. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  36. ^ "Impeachment March". Impeachment March. Archived from the original on May 17, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  37. ^ "Sister Marches". Impeachment March. Archived from the original on May 19, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  38. ^ a b "See Rousing Women's March Speeches from Halsey, Viola Davis and More". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  39. ^ "Women's March 2018: Protestors Take to the Streets for the Second Straight Year". The New York Times. January 20, 2018.
  40. ^ a b c d Marshall, P. David (1997). Celebrity and Power: Fame in Contemporary Culture. U of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9780816627257.
  41. ^ a b "Halsey's Recital Of 'A Story Like Mine' Traces The Staggering Prevalence Of Assault". NPR.org. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  42. ^ Eyerman, Ron (1998). Music and Social Movements: Mobilizing Traditions in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge, United Kingdom: University of Cambridge.
  43. ^ Kristen Jordan Shamus, "Pink pussyhats: The reason feminists are ditching them", Detroit Free Press, 10 January 2018
  44. ^ Keating, Fiona (January 14, 2017). "Pink 'pussyhats' will be making statement at the Women's March on Washington". International Business Times UK. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  45. ^ "'Pussyhat' knitters join long tradition of crafty activism" Archived January 21, 2017, at the Wayback Machine BBC News. January 19, 2017.
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