My citizen action project partner, Sylvie, and I attended the People’s March (formerly the Women’s March). We marched to show our support for all oppressed communities all over the United States who will be affected negatively by Donald Trump’s presidency and/or republican leaders in the US. We arrived in Foley Square at around 9:40 a.m., right before the speeches started. At roughly 10 a.m., we were all greeted by two friendly hosts who introduced each speech. Hundreds of people attended the march, and although the mics were quiet, Sylvie and I somehow stood near the front where we could easily hear the speeches. Once they started, I was instantly inspired. All of the people who spoke fought for the same concept: equality.
Some speeches were about experiences and stories of racism and other forms of oppression, while others were a cry for action. Many people shared their knowledge with us and gave us a new perspective about oppressed identities. But many of the speeches and even some of the signs had words about transness and transphobia. One of the signs that I saw had the words “Trans Rights Over Cis Comfort,” meaning cisgender individuals sometimes prioritize their transphobic ideations over a trans person’s rights and care, but that this practice only hurts people and that cis people should be more aware of this happening. Another example is one of the speeches talking about trans individuals and how there have been over a thousand anti-trans bills have been put forward all across the country, and that those numbers are only growing. That speech also spoke about a bill that could take away Title XI protections from trans and nonbinary student athletes, as well as the promise to take away funding from hospitals that provide gender affirming care because of “transgender lunacy” (Donald Trump’s words). This kind of information helps us fight against the bad people in power who set up these systems, and knowing this has assisted Sylvie and my research in tremendous ways.
After the speeches finished, we marched to the front of the LREI middle and lower school building. The rest of the protesters marched to Washington Square Park to witness and give more speeches. The entire way, people were filming, cars were honking, and news reporters often stopped on the sidewalk to announce what was going on. Although these were not always friendly interactions, I frequently saw people showing their support via gestures or words to show us they were on our side. This experience made me feel like I mattered and that I was a part of something. Not only was this an amazing event, but I also greatly appreciated the people who made speeches and marched with us.
