Boston Women's March | spectrum-newspaper

Boston Women's March 2017

By Lydia Prendergast

Feminism. The big F word that many fear, don’t understand, or go against. I am proud to say that I am a feminist, and going to the Women’s March on January 21, 2017 was a very important event for many, myself included, especially with such a controversial inauguration the previous Friday. Although many used this march as a chance to protest our new president, I saw it as a chance to fight for equality. I believe that this march symbolised the standing together of all genders, and the acceptance and hope towards equality was strong. I was flooded with positivity and strength from others, yet annoyance that in the year 2017, men and women of all races, religions, sexualities and ethnicities are not considered equal. Going to this event on Saturday was a huge eye opener to me. Only being 15, with not much experience or knowledge under my belt regarding our world, I saw this as a completely new event, and was able to experience it fully.

My friends and I made signs about equality and got geared up in our feminist apparel before heading to the march. Once there, it was shown that getting into Boston Common was going to be very hard, and that all the 60,000+ people were packed in a very small place. Standing just outside the area, we were still able to get the same experience. Many passed by with peaceful signs of their own, with a respectful nod or high five given. Others asked to take a picture of my sign, and I asked to take pictures of theirs. On this page are some of the amazing signs I saw. I hope that the pictures will give you a sense of the overall experience I had and insight into the wonderful event that took place that day. Although it was perceived as violent or useless, this march was nothing of the kind. It was simply an act of citizens standing together for what they believed in: equality. I hope that upon clicking and reading this article, eyes have been opened and minds breached to the fact that we as people just want equality, and hope that someday, regardless of our leader, that this can be achieved.