Women’s Rights January & March Rallies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On January 21, 2018, millions of women around the world gathered to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Global Women’s March.

Here in Florence, about 100 women and men alike gathered that day at Piazza San Lorenzo in order to show support for equal rights for women. The group responsible for organizing the event, “Indivisible TUScany U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice,” translated every speech into Italian so that the substantial Italian audience could understand as well.

While the march focused on women’s issues, there was also an emphasis on world peace, the reconversion of the arms industry, social justice, racial, gender, and religious equality, environmental protection, immigration rights, accessible education, and healthcare for all.

Furthermore, on International Women’s Day (March 8) “Indivisible TUScany” plans on having another march in Florence. Details have not been released yet but considering the good turnout for the Women’s March last Sunday, the prospect looks good.

One of the big issues targeted by “Indivisible TUScany” is the issue of voting from abroad—a right that many American study abroad students did not realize they had. 2018 is a voting year in the United States and “Indivisible TUScany” will be supporting candidates who will be promoting the issues mentioned above.

The participants of the Women’s March reflect the global attitude that the marches so proudly represent. While most of the participants were American women either studying or living permanently in Florence or local Italian women from human rights organizations, there were also women from around the world present at the Florence march as well.

One woman from Istanbul, Turkey made an impactful statement when sharing that this was the first march she had participated in where the police did not interfere with tear gas. Another young woman from Jakarta, Indonesia shared her emotional stories of working for a rape and sexual assault hotline in Jakarta. While many women shared why they were marching, a few brave men also came forward to share their stories. In fact, the first person to share their reason for being at the Women’s March was a young man from the United States who was marching in honor of his bisexual sister, in order to show his love and support for her.  (molly hamilton)

LIVE REPORT

I attended part of the Women’s March and rally in Florence and it was quite moving. It was an interesting intersection of objectives and culture. The rally consisted of a small but dedicated crowd in Piazza San Lorenzo listening to speakers atop the back steps of the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Empowering stories and sentiments were shared, occasional chants were led, and of course there were many clever and emotionally moving signs held up in recognition of events happening in the United States and around the world. Each sign and story promoted the idea behind the movement, which is that women’s rights are human rights.  (anna rosin)