Women’s march roars in protest of Trump
in their communities to fight misogyny and racism. “People also have to realize they've been lied to. Jobs aren't going to come back for things we don't make anymore. We have to grow new industries.”
Cherri Estep came to fight for health care. Anne Frederickson came to protest Trump Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos. Jayne Kreinbihl came to oppose all of the new president’s Cabinet choices.
The trio from Mt. Lebanon spent all morning on a bus to add their voices to the growing chorus — which included plenty of tenor and bass voices here for support, too.
The DeVos appointment “really concerns me,” said Ms. Frederickson, a retired teacher. “She is woefully ignorant of what we face as educators.”
And, Ms. Frederickson said, if Ms. DeVos hadn’t made hefty donations to Republican politicians, there’s no way the school choice proponent would have been nominated.
Ms. Estep, a retired nurse, said Republicans need to hear women’s messages about health care.
“Health care isn’t a privilege. If it’s not perfect we need to work on what needs to be fixed. We have a structure to work from to change it and make it better,” she said.
Like so many other marchers, the three also have broad concerns about how women will fare under the Trump administration.
“I can’t put it out of my head what he’s done to women: how he’s objectified them and bragged about sexually assaulting them,” Ms. Frederickson said.
Several attendees, crammed shoulder to shoulder on the protest route, also gave nods to Democratic presidential candidate and former Sen. Hillary Clinton, wearing clothing and accessories that said “I’m With Her.” On Twitter, Ms Clinton thanked participants for “standing, speaking and marching for our values.”
Women talked of the need to fight for their values throughout the Trump presidency. Nathalie Gilfrich, 54, said she will go back to Maryland and put pressure on her elected officials there.
“The thing is not to sit here and whine, cry and stomp your feet,” Ms. Gilfrich said. “Call your local representatives.”
Estimates ranged from more than 1 million to 3 million demonstrators at more than 600 “sister marches” around the world that mocked and decried Mr. Trump. Protesters near the Eiffel Tower in Paris carried signs that read, “With our sisters in Washington” and “We have our eyes on you, Mr. Trump.” There were similar protests in cities large and small across the United States — New York, Chicago, Boston, Park City, Utah, Oklahoma City, Boise, Idaho — and around the world, from Athens to Amsterdam to Sydney to Florence.
The demonstrations showcased the unrest, frustration and anger following the swearing in of Mr. Trump, who polls show to be the least popular newly inaugurated president in modern history. Mr. Trump may have seen the protests when his motorcade passed by after he attended a prayer service Saturday morning.