Womxn's March Seattle
Morgan and I went to our local "sister march" yesterday, which was locally being called Womxn's March on Seattle. It was...incredible. So, so many people. So much pink. So many determined, fierce, brave people who will not take this administration's intentions lying down.
The organizers for Seattle expected maybe 50,000 people but the last estimates I heard were 100,000 at the low end and up to 175,000. I don't think they've finished counting yet; not sure. But every single march had higher participation than people expected. As of last night I heard somewhere between 3.3 and 4.2 million people marched yesterday--and that's in the US alone. There were marches on all SEVEN continents (yes, even Antarctica had a demonstration; can you blame them? They know better than a lot of people the dangers of climate change).
This isn't the start of the fight but it feels like the start of something big. Because that's what we have to remember--this is going to be a long fight. We have a lot of battles to wage over legislation and Cabinet appointees, and we have to prepare for the 2018 midterms if we're to stand a chance of salvaging this country from the disaster Trump will make it.
I'm really, really glad we went. I went in large part because Morgan really wanted to go and didn't want to go alone, but as we both thought I was happier once I was there. It really was amazing to be there, to see everyone from someone with a pin from the 1970 NY pride parade to little kids being carried by their parents. (The kids were the best, really, and so many of them were SO HAPPY to be there.)
We've learned a couple lessons for next time--one, bring a lightweight backpack, because I just had my purse and next time I want something I can put on both shoulders. Two, bring sunglasses even if it's not supposed to be sunny. Three, stay hydrated although I did that mostly. They were giving out water and I grabbed a couple bottles. Four, make signs. I think mine will be like "So bad this introvert is marching".
There were some great signs we saw yesterday, including a bunch of "This Pussy Grabs Back" and "Stronger Together" and the like. There was a little boy whose sign said "I'm not allowed to talk about women like the President". Someone with Trump quotes on index cards pinned all over her jacket, and man, he's revolting. A bunch of "I can't believe we still have to protest this shit", and I saw at least one "Another Pissed Off Grandma" that was awesome.
Online I saw a dog wearing a shirt that said "Good boys don't grab" and another dog wearing a sign that said "Even I know NO means NO". Morgan and I had thought--very, very briefly--about taking Buddy to the march but decided almost immediately that would be a Bad Idea. It'd be too many people and too much stimulation and he'd go nuts, or get scared, and either way we wouldn't really have had a good time at the march. (Many thanks to my dad who came over and hung out with Buddy and walked him so we could go.)
We took the bus into Seattle, because there's a park and ride seven minutes away from the house with a bus that goes right to downtown. By the time the bus got into Seattle it was full, almost entirely with marchers. But we had to connect to a city bus to get to the start of the march and they kept passing us because they were full. Literally about six went by. Then someone else had the bright idea to call Uber and I said "You know what? I'm doing that too" so I downloaded an app and within five minutes we were in the car headed to the park.
I know Uber is evil but there were no taxis around and we had to get there, and no, it wasn't walkable especially if we were walking the full 3+ mile route.
Morgan and I did bail before the end of the march though. It started at Judkins Park (not the best starting location tbh) and walked to Seattle Center, and we got somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 done and when we got to Westlake I asked if we could bail because my head was starting to twinge and I was reaching my limit of crowd people. So we waited for half an hour or something to use the bathrooms and then got the bus home...
...and then we got home and I discovered my wallet was missing. I am hopeful it just fell out of my purse on the bus. I know I had it before we went to the march because I bought a pussyhat, but it was not in there when I looked in Morgan's car (we had gone for lunch and I'd gone to get my wallet out to pay and hey, no wallet). I have canceled my debit card and my credit card, and I have a bunch of other cards that need to get canceled but I'm holding on those until I can call Sound Transit and find out if they have my wallet. If they do, no cancelations necessary. If they don't, well, fuck me and then I have to remember all the other cards in my wallet to cancel them.
(Lost & Found opens tomorrow at 7. Hope with me my wallet is in Lynnwood.)
But. Overall, a really great day. It's just--this isn't enough. This is a first step. We have a long two years til the midterms and we have to be ready to take back what we can. Tomorrow I will call both my senators to ask them to vote against Sessions for AG and Tillerson for State, and find out if a PP center near me needs volunteers. What are you doing?
This entry was originally posted at http://blueraccoon.dreamwidth.org/1377545.html. Please comment there. |
comments
The organizers for Seattle expected maybe 50,000 people but the last estimates I heard were 100,000 at the low end and up to 175,000. I don't think they've finished counting yet; not sure. But every single march had higher participation than people expected. As of last night I heard somewhere between 3.3 and 4.2 million people marched yesterday--and that's in the US alone. There were marches on all SEVEN continents (yes, even Antarctica had a demonstration; can you blame them? They know better than a lot of people the dangers of climate change).
This isn't the start of the fight but it feels like the start of something big. Because that's what we have to remember--this is going to be a long fight. We have a lot of battles to wage over legislation and Cabinet appointees, and we have to prepare for the 2018 midterms if we're to stand a chance of salvaging this country from the disaster Trump will make it.
I'm really, really glad we went. I went in large part because Morgan really wanted to go and didn't want to go alone, but as we both thought I was happier once I was there. It really was amazing to be there, to see everyone from someone with a pin from the 1970 NY pride parade to little kids being carried by their parents. (The kids were the best, really, and so many of them were SO HAPPY to be there.)
We've learned a couple lessons for next time--one, bring a lightweight backpack, because I just had my purse and next time I want something I can put on both shoulders. Two, bring sunglasses even if it's not supposed to be sunny. Three, stay hydrated although I did that mostly. They were giving out water and I grabbed a couple bottles. Four, make signs. I think mine will be like "So bad this introvert is marching".
There were some great signs we saw yesterday, including a bunch of "This Pussy Grabs Back" and "Stronger Together" and the like. There was a little boy whose sign said "I'm not allowed to talk about women like the President". Someone with Trump quotes on index cards pinned all over her jacket, and man, he's revolting. A bunch of "I can't believe we still have to protest this shit", and I saw at least one "Another Pissed Off Grandma" that was awesome.
Online I saw a dog wearing a shirt that said "Good boys don't grab" and another dog wearing a sign that said "Even I know NO means NO". Morgan and I had thought--very, very briefly--about taking Buddy to the march but decided almost immediately that would be a Bad Idea. It'd be too many people and too much stimulation and he'd go nuts, or get scared, and either way we wouldn't really have had a good time at the march. (Many thanks to my dad who came over and hung out with Buddy and walked him so we could go.)
We took the bus into Seattle, because there's a park and ride seven minutes away from the house with a bus that goes right to downtown. By the time the bus got into Seattle it was full, almost entirely with marchers. But we had to connect to a city bus to get to the start of the march and they kept passing us because they were full. Literally about six went by. Then someone else had the bright idea to call Uber and I said "You know what? I'm doing that too" so I downloaded an app and within five minutes we were in the car headed to the park.
I know Uber is evil but there were no taxis around and we had to get there, and no, it wasn't walkable especially if we were walking the full 3+ mile route.
Morgan and I did bail before the end of the march though. It started at Judkins Park (not the best starting location tbh) and walked to Seattle Center, and we got somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 done and when we got to Westlake I asked if we could bail because my head was starting to twinge and I was reaching my limit of crowd people. So we waited for half an hour or something to use the bathrooms and then got the bus home...
...and then we got home and I discovered my wallet was missing. I am hopeful it just fell out of my purse on the bus. I know I had it before we went to the march because I bought a pussyhat, but it was not in there when I looked in Morgan's car (we had gone for lunch and I'd gone to get my wallet out to pay and hey, no wallet). I have canceled my debit card and my credit card, and I have a bunch of other cards that need to get canceled but I'm holding on those until I can call Sound Transit and find out if they have my wallet. If they do, no cancelations necessary. If they don't, well, fuck me and then I have to remember all the other cards in my wallet to cancel them.
(Lost & Found opens tomorrow at 7. Hope with me my wallet is in Lynnwood.)
But. Overall, a really great day. It's just--this isn't enough. This is a first step. We have a long two years til the midterms and we have to be ready to take back what we can. Tomorrow I will call both my senators to ask them to vote against Sessions for AG and Tillerson for State, and find out if a PP center near me needs volunteers. What are you doing?
This entry was originally posted at http://blueraccoon.dreamwidth.org/1377545.html. Please comment there. |
comments