Exonians Walk in Women's Marches at Boston, D.C.

1Exonians joined millions in Women’s Marches across the country last Saturday as part of the largest coalition of protesters in American history. The marches occurred in every continent, as well as in every state, with over three million participants worldwide. Phillips Exeter Academy’s Feminist Union (Fem Club) arranged transportation for forty-five students to attend the Women’s March in Boston, while other students marched in Portsmouth and Washington, D.C.Many Exonians appreciated the chance to protest in solidarity with America’s marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community, people of color and people of persecuted religions.Others viewed the march as a means of demonstrating resilience in the face of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Cohead of Fem Club senior Autumn Herness emphasized the importance of remaining strong. “Even in the face of failure, we’re not stepping down,” she said. “This still matters to us a lot.”Although many were motivated by anger over the results of the election, Saturday’s peaceful protests were not intended to directly condemn Trump.  “They were supposed to wake him up,” explained lower Sophie Faliero, who joined her family in Washington D.C. last weekend to protest. “There is so much inequality in this country...he's unaware and doesn't care.”

“The camaraderie of the march… really reaffirms the hope that had been dimming ever since the election results were announced.”

The march also provided a concrete way for underage Exonians to voice beliefs. “There’s still four years until I can vote,” prep Lucy Gilchrist explained. “This was just a [way to have] myvoice heard.”The solidarity among the protesters at the march provided for an environment of understanding among a crowd of 125,000. Lower Liz Williams said, “I felt empowered, and so proud to be a part of such an important message.” Faliero agreed, saying, “I have never been surrounded by so many positive, kind, well-minded people before and it was amazing.” Williams added, “Standing up for not only women's equality, but the equality of all people, is something I truly think is worth fighting for.”The Boston Women’s March started off slow due to an overwhelming number of participants. The organizers originally planned for only 20,000 protesters, but over 125,000 protesters attended. Limited exits caused a two hour delay in commencing the march out of the Boston Common. “I'm so proud to say that I went,” lower Ashleigh Lackey remarked. “[Even] though I had to wait over two hours to even start marching, it was well worth it to be there in a community supporting each other for women's rights.”Although many Exonians were passionate about the march, some decided not to participate due to safety concerns. Senior Ahmad Rahman, co-head of Democratic Club, stated that Dem Club was planning on sending a group, but some voiced concerns about the safety and liability of the march. “There are a lot of safety precautions when it comes to marches,” upper Menat Bahnasy explained. “They’re hard to regulate safety-wise, and being an Exeter-supervised trip, [the school] has a lot of liability. We don’t want anyone to get hurt if there’s a chance [of] that.”Fortunately, the Women’s Marches remained non-violent nationwide, unlike the anti-Trump riots that plagued Washington D.C. during and after the inauguration. Most protesters sported clever and colorful signs calling attention to a plethora of injustices in the country, urging their fellow Americans to take action. “The camaraderie of the march… really reaffirms the hope that had been dimming ever since the election results were announced,” Gilchrist said.Following the march, senior Charis Edwards, co-head of the Democratic Club, stressed the importance of discussing the events within our community.  “We will be debriefing with the club about the value of rallies and demonstrations as methods of activism,” Edwards said. “I think it's valuable for Exonians to understand the reasons behind what they do and not just follow along with a group because it's easy.”For English Instructor Mercedes Carbonell, who is currently on sabbatical, the marches were an inspiration for the future.  The protest sparked curiosity, prompting Carbonell to ask questions regarding feminism. “The work I want to commit to further is in this critical realm. How can feminism become by nature intersectional? And inclusive? And not merely an elite space?” Carbonell was deeply moved by the protest, especially by the age range of women and men who attended.  Some of the signs and chants stood out. Carbonell said, “For the older women carrying signs that said, ‘I cannot believe I still have to protest this shit,’ I hope they saw the younger generations rising in voice and strength.”