Planning for the Women’s March on Washington initially focused on making the day after the inauguration of President Trump a day for hearing the voices of minorities. It was to be a protest against the utter disrespect he had expressed during the campaign towards women, minorities, Muslims, immigrants, handicapped persons and anyone outside of his circle of admirers. In actuality, what the day brought forth was arguably the largest demonstration in U.S. history.
Women poured into public squares everywhere to rally in support of the Washington marchers. Most analysts agree that about a half a million marched in the nation’s capital. More than that – 750,000 – filled downtown Los Angeles. In Wyoming – a state with fewer residents than there were marchers in LA – nearly 2,000 people marched in Cheyenne to show their support for women’s rights. Seattle, Dallas, Boston, Little Rock, Atlanta, Louisville, Chicago – across the country women joined the protest (USA Today, Sean Rossman and Mary Bowerman, January 21, 2017).
They weren’t alone. 
In European capitals and in tiny little hamlets around the world, in India and Japan, Central and South America, among people on all 7 continents, women marched. The march spread around the globe in part because the rhetoric of white nationalism and far right extremism has entered the politics of several nations, and has caused alarm throughout the international community.
Immigrants and Muslims in America had been feeling a frisson of impending disaster long before the election. After the election, as the realities of a Trump presidency became starkly apparent with each passing day, more and more people got that sinking feeling that the effects of Trump’s disregard for American values and Constitutional law were probably going to trickle down to their cities, their schools, their jobs, their neighborhoods, their friends, their families. People who thought they were safely in the mainstream no longer felt safe. Consequently, day by day more people decided to participate in the Women’s March.
How many people in total were involved in these marches? Estimates seem to agree that it had to be between 4 and 6 million people. In videos taken from the upper levels of city buildings, it looked like a global ant colony on the move.
Apart from the numbers involved, the variety of issues represented was astonishing. The Unity Principals drawn up by the organizers of the Women’s March focused on ending violence, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, workers’ rights, civil rights, disability rights, immigrant rights and environmental justice. Here is a look at how those issues were framed by protest signs and by news reports.
“feminism without intersectionality is white supremacy”
Love and kindness
Solidarity with Muslims
Solidarity with people of color
“stop maligning teachers”
No Misogyny
No homophobia
Gender identity equality
Leadership for children
Respect for women and girls
Respect for wives and daughters
Protecting the earth
Justice for all
Peace
Native American inclusion
Dump Trump
Dignity and integrity
Truth
No Russian interference in government
Family health, security
Equal opportunities for all
Sexual equality
No walls/build bridges
Black lives matter
White supremacy is not normal
No more bigotry
Health care equality
Education is important
No hate
Handicapped solidarity
No fascism
Demilitarize the police
Civil disobedience
Resistance
Free Press
Immigrant welcoming
Mexican solidarity
Rule of law
Two critical messages came out of the Women’s March on Washington. First, this demonstration brought out no police in riot gear, no army tanks and none of the other military paraphernalia that typically greets well-organized protesters. That startling occurrence wasn’t because this protest was superior to other protests in some way.
Long before the march took place, law enforcement agencies saw it as a “white women’s” event, White women are considered no threat because they are white and therefore acceptable and unthreatening to predominantly white law enforcement agencies. White women are also still considered “the weaker sex,” docile, not as belligerent as men – a perception unfortunately strengthened by the pink “pussyhat project.”
In reality, the march was organized by three women of color: the Muslim head of the Arab-American Organization of New York, the Hispanic head of The Gathering for Justice, and a Black gun control advocate (Time, Charlotte Alter, January 20, 2017).
The protest was conceived as and succeeded as a coalition of marginalized citizens. Its fiery main speakers were long-time leaders for social justice. In Trump’s world, it so happened that white women also felt marginalized, and so, the pussyhat project took off as a way to promote women’s rights.
Message to white women: Our presence is sorely needed at the protests of those who do not enjoy our privileged status in society. We’ve seen how often and with how much menace other marchers face riot gear and armed forces. White women need to get out there and help causes hampered by society’s fear and mistrust of those who are not so-called “mainstream America.” If we work to include everyone, there will be no “others.” Solidarity Forever.
The second point: This was a predominantly progressive protest. The white nationalist tone of a Trump presidency pushed progressives out to the margins: environmentalists, feminists, scientists, health care advocates, senior citizens, humanitarians, educators, peacekeepers. Anyone working to make progress towards a just and compassionate society, an informed and wise society, a society of equals, felt blown back by the hurricane winds of far-right conservativism.
Note to progressives: This is a moment for being deeply in touch with what it feels like to be on the margins. It’s nasty. Those feelings of impotence, betrayal, anger and despair need to be alive in the gut in order to keep up the fight for social justice. Through this experience, these dangerous times, we will cultivate greater understanding of what a marginalized citizen truly yearns for, and whether or not our progressive agenda has been meeting those needs.
The protest against oil pipelines that began at Sacred Stone Camp in the small town of Cannonball, North Dakota in the summer of 2016, also attracted a global following. Indigenous tribes from all over the world – Siberia, Australia and South America, to name a few – posted their support on social media.
Some, such as the Sami from Norway, sent a delegation to be physically present at the camp. Members of Black Lives Matter and U.S. Veterans joined the protest – to show solidarity with Native Americans and to raise their voices against the continuing threat of violence against peaceful citizens.
NOTE: On March 10, 2017, Standing Rock and Native Nations will lead a march for Water is Life in Washington, D.C.
