Continuing the tradition of one of the largest single-day protests in U.S. history, thousands of demonstrators filled Portland State’s Park Blocks on March 3 for the 2019 Portland’s Womxn’s March and Rally for Action.
Born from a 2017 worldwide protest the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the march featured speakers and performers who addressed issues of reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, environmental justice and civil rights—while also acknowledging what some called an increased awareness of such issues following Trump’s election.
“Look at all of the women, men and allies who are marching,” said Oregon Democratic Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “And who ran for office and are running for office.”
The 127 women in the 2019 Congress is an all-time high, with women’s victories playing a key role in the Democratic party taking control of the House of Representatives after the 2018 midterm elections.
Previously planned for the same weekend of Martin Luther King Day celebrations, organizers rescheduled the rally to avoid drawing people away from other events planned on that weekend and to coincide with the week of International Women’s Day.
In a departure from previous years’ marches, organizers asked white and able-bodied people to leave their “pink pussy hats” at home. “These are symbols of gender and race privilege and marginalize and harm [Black and Indigenous People of Color] and LGBTQIA+ marchers,” read a statement on the march’s website.
Prior to the march, organizers also focused on accessibility, calling for march participants to be aware and respectful of marginalized people at the march including the LGBTQ community, people of color and people with disabilities.
Those girls are never going to land husbands if they don’t learn to smile more.