Thousands March for Women’s Rights

By Phyllis Eckhaus

A lively crowd of several thousand descended on Washington Square Park for International Women’s Day, March 8th, rallying at the park, then marching to Union Square.

“Unite and Resist” was the theme. In the spirit of solidarity, the event was billed both as a “Womxn’s March” (cis- and transgender) and as a “Women’s March.” Joined in their alarm over Trump administration actions, the protesters—overwhelmingly women—reflected a wide array of concerns that women’s rights, trans rights and bodily autonomy are in danger.

The demonstration was distinguished by the cheer of the participants, the “big tent” diversity of issues represented, and the technical difficulties that made it almost impossible to hear the valiant speakers struggling with the sound system.

Speakers denounced the attack on trans rights: “After [transpeople], they’re coming for you—everyone who is not a straight white cisgender Christian billionaire.”

They targeted the SAVE Act—the proposed Republican restrict-the-vote act that could “disenfranchise the 59 percent of women who take their husband’s last name”—as it would require your voter registration to match your birth certificate or passport. An estimated 69 million women could be affected.

They spoke of the women worldwide—in “the Ukraine, Panama, Greenland, Syria, West Bank, Gaza”—endangered by the United States.

Celine, who works for the UN and lives in Grammercy, said she was there for her seven-year-old daughter Ade, perched on her shoulders. She expressed concern that “Every day, the rights of girls are questioned.”

Kim and Diane, friends from Brooklyn and Staten Island, declared they were “outraged at every level.”

Laura from Columbus Circle held a sign with a classic Gloria Steinem quote: “If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.” She said she was marching for “too many reasons” and recalled “fighting for the original Equal Rights Amendment in North Carolina. And I never thought we’d be here today.”