The Women's March in Norfolk
The Women’s March on Washington wasn’t just on Washington. It was as a worldwide protest that took place on January 21, 2017 to rally against the inauguration of now President Donald J. Trump and his intentions in office.
The first protest was planned in Washington D.C. and had over half a million participants, according to The Washington Post. Worldwide, there were likely millions more. The protests were in support of women’s rights and other causes including immigration reform, healthcare reform, protection of the environment, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, freedom of religion, and worker’s rights.
“We are protesting about things that we as a country don’t talk much about and so to have protests about it is a great way to say that we need to talk about these issues,” said William Ashe, a sophomore at Churchland High School.
The Women’s March was streamed live on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter and was supported by millions of people, including celebrities. From Beyoncé to Kristen Stewart, more than 42 celebrities tweeted about the protests and many joined them.
“I think having celebrities help out with these protests and getting attention to these problems is an amazing thing they can do. To give someone a voice who isn’t out there in the media can have a big change in how things are seen. So yes, having a big celebrity like Beyonce speak out about these things can have a major difference in things,” said Ashe.
The Women’s march was a generally peaceful protest with no arrests in Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. There were also more than 40 speakers present at the Women’s March on Washington with many more at sister marches. The impact of these protests around the world has brought light to the many issues that our country has and has sparked major discussions worldwide.
Photo: Logan Brindle