Women’s Marches: Power to the Polls

Whatever you care about, whatever your priorities are, there was a place for you at any of the hundreds of Women’s Marches across the state… and across the country. For the second year, millions of women gathered to voice their sentiments about the current political scene and to use their power at the polls. 

The Eagle received comments and photos from marches in Hartford, East Haddam, and New York. 

Rallies last year protested Donald Trump’s inauguration. This year, the agendas grew, reflecting participants’ outrage at events over the past year: the threat to DACA recipients and immigrants, and LGBQT rights; the rise of racism; concerns about health care. The importance of voting and the drive to encourage more women to run for political office were also key. The #MeToo and pro-choice movements were supported, as well as a ban on fracking and threats to the environment. Add to the mix, the government shutdown, which took place at midnight Saturday.

Hartford

A crowd of women and men and kids, estimated at 10,000 by the CT Mirror, gathered at Hartford’s Bushnell Park for a variety of events.

The weather cooperated providing a cool, not but frigid sunny day. The crowd included Branford’s State Rep. Lonnie Reed and one woman exploring and probably running for governor, former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz.

Also attending were two of the state’s top office holders, Secretary of State Denise Merrill and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, who called for inclusivity and a continued fight for justice and equality.

Addressing the crowd, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said, ​“You didn’t march for a day, you worked for a year… you persisted… this is what democracy looks like.” His daughters were at the march and one marched in Washington last year.

Here’s Rep. Reed with Gina MacDonald, a Branford Yoga teacher.

Signs were everywhere as were the pink ​“pussy” hats, reflecting the many concerns of the marchers.

Pro-Choice…

Fracking…

Peace…

And simply, unity.

Among the speakers was Susan Campbell, journalist and activist, who shouted, ​“Swords up! Resistance now! Resistance forever!”

Yes, it was about women, and much more.

East Haddam’s Power to the Polls

In the small town of East Haddam, along the Connecticut River, the rally in front of Two Wrasslin’ Cats café drew about 350 people. Its emphasis was on getting out the vote, which is seen as critical in taking back the House and Senate in November 2018, in a campaign titled, ​“Power to the Polls.”

Alpha Coiro of Branford attended that rally, and said, ​“It was another exhilarating experience to advance the needs of women and minorities and to keep these needs at the forefront of consciousness.” Coiro attended the rally last year in Washington, D.C. 

She was accompanied by Mary Lou Asher (left).

There was no age limit on the participants.

And plenty of signs.

The ice on the Connecticut River was as thick and jammed as the stalemate in Congress regarding the government shutdown.

New York City

Members of Connecticut Shoreline Indivisible filled two buses and headed off to New York around 8 a.m. Check out The Eagle’s Facebook page for their departure photos. Final reports had attendance at more than 200,000.

Joan Means, Charla Nich, and Gini King were among those attending. ​“What a march,” they said.

Participants shared their comments on index cards. All were enthusiastic and inspired by the signs. A couple of people did mention that the comments were a bit long and repetitive, but that there was so much enthusiasm once the march was under way.

According to MSNBC, protest researchers report 15 percent more moderate/conservative women in the 2018 marches than in 2017.

Susan Anderson: ​“Great to see so many enthusiastic young women. Very civilized and full of good vibes. I came home energized, hopeful and renewed…Very creative signs, such as ​“I’m not ovary reacting” and ​“Now you have pissed off Grandma.” Seemed well organized and safe. Only negative – a few too many talks that began to sound redundant. But this seemed forgotten as soon as the group began to march.”

Even MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow was mentioned in a couple of posters. 

Keith and Ginger Swartz, Christine Drago: ​“Inspiring to see so many informed, committed people willing to give their time and energy in service to democracy.”

Another person commented: ​“Great sunny day in New York with 120,000 marchers. I conclude that America is the wittiest nation on earth, to wit… ​‘There is no Planet B.’ ​‘You come from a vagina and the vaginas will take you out.’ ​‘We are not ovary acting.’”

Linda Rogers: ​“About 125,000 of us stood listening to both rousing and repetitive speeches, song and dance, longer than we preferred, finally released to marching exuberantly with witty, angry and beseeching words held aloft. Female body parts were having their say… we weren’t ovary acting. Great day of renewal of hope and our commitment to speak our truth.”

And another: ​“It is absolutely wonderful to see people so passionate about our democracy.”

Some had attended the march in Washington, DC, last year, including Nancy McCormick: ​“A year ago, I was at the Women’s March in DC, which was amazing. Today’s NYC march reinforced my belief that DJT and his policy of destruction put our republic in danger. The solidarity among today’s marchers gives me hope that with enough hard work, we can take our country back in 2018. And, the weather was amazing today, too. I will march every year until this disastrous president is gone. This Guilford group of women is terrific.”

Patricia: ​“It was exhilarating to march for women’s issues and for all the issues that #45 is against/destroying.”

Another wrote of hope for the next generation: ​“This was my walk and I just loved it. I was particularly happy to see so many 20 – 30 somethings as they are the next leaders.”

Terry Lee, writing from the male point of view: ​“As a man, married almost 28 years, I think every man, married or not, should be required to do a women’s march. Very refreshing. What’s‑his-name did not fare very well. He deserved every sign!”

The momentum continued into Sunday with marches held for a second day in Las Vegas, Seattle, Miami, Phoenix, Orlando, Knoxville, and Topeka, and various other cities across the country and world. ​“Power to the Polls” was the emphasis in Las Vegas.

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Indeed, many attendees mentioned the great weather. However, if there’s any doubt about the determination of women to make their positions known, check out this photo posted from by ​“Marching Onward” from Haines, Alaska. 

Above all, despite a sense of outrage, they were peaceful.

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