The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Stamford marches for women’s rights
STAMFORD — People from across the region gathered Saturday in front of the Stamford Courthouse to show their support for women’s issues ahead of the November election and a possible U.S. Supreme Court confirmation.
“Women are leaning in, and that’s why we’re here,” said Brook Manewal, one of the event’s organizers. “That’s what we’re here to celebrate.”
Organizers from S.W.A.T. — Suburban Women Against Trump — along with a few other women’s rights groups, including PinkWave and the Stamford Women’s Talking Circle, stood in solidarity with Women’s Marches across the country, all focused on President Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the high court.
“Pussy hats” and hot pink attire peppered the crowd of about 300 people, with many holding signs emblazoned with such familiar slogans as “Nasty Woman” and “Black Lives Matter” — and all standing six feet apart. Organizers emphasized the need for social distancing at the event, even broadcasting the rally over FacebookLive to ensure that those homebound by the COVID-19 pandemic could watch the protest “safe from home.”
Both directly and indirectly, speakers focused on Coney Barrett’s stance on abortion rights, something that she sought to avoid while answering questions
this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. But despite her silence, Coney Barrett and her husband, Jesse, both signed onto anti-abortion advertisements in their hometown of South Bend, Ind.
Speakers and organizers alike punctuated the morning’s speeches with calls to action directed at
onlookers. People could text the word “PINKWAVE” to get alerts regarding the Nov. 3 election. A sign staked into the grass asked protesters to text “RBG” and receive similar updates.
Drawings of the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg spanned as far as the eye could see. She was on signs, on shirts, and speakers laced her
presence into their speeches while talking about the future of women’s reproductive rights.
Speakers included state Sen. Alex Kasser, D-36th District; state Rep. Lucy Dathan, D-142nd District, and Liz Gustafson, state director of NARAL Pro-Choice Conn, along with other local activists and advocates.
“We have to fight like our lives depend on it, because they do” said Kasser during the event’s keynote address. “We will never forget that democracy depends on the consent of the people.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, and state Sen. Will Haskell, D-26th District, also stood among the crowd, taking pictures and fielding comments from constituents.
Emma Valerio, 16, said she always attends Women’s Marches, and the Stamford rally was no exception. She attended the event with her friends to rally support for Stephanie O’Shea, one of the speakers and a write-in candidate for the Stamford Board of Education.
Even though Valerio cannot vote yet, she believes that young people showing up to civic actions like the Women’s March to Save Democracy is essential to the political process.
“Ultimately, we’re the ones impacted by these legislations,” said Valerio.
Despite the state and region’s tendency toward voting Democrat, state Rep. Matt Blumenthal said that holding events focusing on hot-button issues such as abortion access and health care are essential to the overall political dynamic.
“With what’s going on at a federal level, if we lose [these legislations], we must protect them at the state level,” said Blumenthal, whose district represents North Stamford, Springdale, Westover, and the western part of Darien. “We’re all in this together.”