By Manisha Ganguly @manisha_bot
On the 21st of January, the day after Donald Trump swore in as President of the United States, women all over the world in 70 countries joined hands in a united stand against him. In Paris, more than 7,000 women showed up at the Women’s March, to protest Trump’s history of sexual assault, sexist comments and misogyny. Women of all ages, from babies in prams to grandmothers marched to show their dissent against the new President who has often referred to women as “bimbo”, “dog”, “pig”, fat-shamed and objectified women and, defunded Planned Parenthood, putting women’s healthcare in jeopardy.
With chants of “My neck, my back, my pussy grabs back”, “Fuck Trump” and a brass band playing music from the Spanish Civil War, the march made its way from Human Rights Square to Wall of Peace in front of l’Ecole Militaire, guided by seven police vans.
The march had participation from 53 feminist and women’s organisations in Paris, including Alliance des Femmes pour la Démocratie, L’Amicale du Nid, Aufeminin.com, Parti socialiste, Le Planning Familial, Regards de Femmes and SOS Racisme. Organised through a Facebook event page, the march had 8500 expressing their interest in it.
Andrew Thompson (28) a student from Alaska living in Paris, came to the women’s march on his birthday to oppose what he called “an autocracy”. “There’s a lot of hope. That’s why these parades are happening, with 1.5million people out on the streets. The residual shock is starting to wear off and people are realising what we’re dealing with.”
Michelle (40), an economic journalist from California living in Paris was at the protest for her two daughters. “We need to show him that we’re not going to be silent and things are not going to go past easily. As a journalist, he needs to be reminded of all the people he’s representing.”
Charlotte Pleasans (23), a barista, was joining her family across the globe in the women’s march. “My mother and sister organised the women’s march in New Zealand, and my dad was marching in Melbourne,” she says. “I felt I had to join.”
Luth Rameriz (40), who works in tourism, was there to “reclaim women’s rights”. “I have two brothers in the US Army, I grew up in New York, and I feel concerned for my family in the US even if I live here. We cannot stay without doing nothing.”
Dacha Tran (27), an English teacher, said, “I’m here because I care. It’s important to show all around that people care about truth, facts- that environmental change and the threat to Muslims, women and our LGBTIQA friends is real.”
The statement for the march on Facebook read: “We are mobilizing as the new president of the United States prepares to apply the violently sexist, lesbophobic, homophobic, xenophobic and racist ideology that he defended during his campaign. His choice for the Supreme Court is William Pryor, a judge who considers abortion to be “the worst abomination” in legal history. His vice president, Mike Pence, openly espouses creationist ideas. His main advisor, Steve Bannon, publishes hateful racist and misogynist messages on his website. He also wants to destroy ObamaCare, the health insurance law.”
