I clicked that RSVP as soon as I saw it come up on my Facebook feed a month or so back for the Women's March anniversary. No question in my mind that I wouldn't be attending. Then last weekend snuck up on me something fierce and by the end of the day Saturday I started seeing photos and tweets of marches all over the USA and thought to myself "Did I fucking miss it?!". Apparently lots of marches were held ON the anniversary of Trump's inauguration but lots of marches were still planned for the actual anniversary of the Women's March. Orlando just happened to be one of the marches that was held on Sunday.
I asked a couple friends if they wanted to join me but they all had plans so I decided to go alone. I knew I'd regret not going so I didn't want to keep myself from the experience just because I didn't have anyone to go with. Dustin of course would have gone with me if I had asked but it was the NFL playoffs and I didn't want to drag him out of the house. So I made my last minute poster (I wasn't planning on bringing one originally) and I put on my "Pussies Against Trump" shirt and my "Impeach" pin from Katie.
I found street parking pretty easily that was only a couple block walk to Lake Eola. I don't have a problem doing most things alone (movies, shopping, even eating out) but somehow this made me nervous. The minute I saw everyone walking to the amphitheater I felt at home though. I was surrounded by people that were on my team in some form or another. With all the crazies out there in internet-land, in real life, hell even in my own family, it was such a relief to be around people that actually wanted better for this country and the people in it. It was tangible proof that the resistance is strong as ever and not going away. After a draining year it was comforting to see we're still in this together.
I listened to some of the speakers before walking around. I didn't have any specific destination I just wanted to see the people that had come out. I wanted to read their signs and their shirts and tell them all how much I'm with them. I walked around the lake and just saw amazing person after amazing person. I had a guy come up to me and comment on my sign and he said "You don't know how true your sign is. I've been fighting since the 1970s." At first it made me sad but then it made me feel empowered. If this man has kept fighting the good fight for 40+ years than so can I. And I will. I sat on the edge of the lake and took in the scenery for a bit when a young cute couple asked me to take a photo of the two of them with their new puppy (named Toodles!!). I of course was more than happy to do so.
It was a really nice couple hours spent outside with "my people".
If the following doesn't make you rage YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
"I want to come home to a home cooked dinner at six every night, one that she fixes and one that I expect one day to have my daughters learn to fix after they become traditional homemakers and family wives." - Courtland Sykes
"Just want to give a heads up to the women! You have rights! A right to cook and a right to clean. Today is Sunday and the NFL playoffs are on! I suggest you stop your bitching/protesting during this time. Because you also have the right to get slapped!" - J.R. Doporto
Feminism is about women doing whatever the hell they want. They can choose to be stay-at-home-moms or "career obsessed banshees". They can have 3 kids or none. They can be literally anything they want. But when men keep propelling the idea we are ONLY good for popping out kids and cooking I want to scream into a pillow. News flash to all sexist assholes, WE get to choose our path, not you. So yeah, THIS is one of many reasons we fucking march.
"YOUR SILENCE WILL NOT PROTECT YOU." -AUDRE LORDE
The rest of these photos were not taken by me but they are all from the Orlando March.
I have either kept their instagram name or have linked the photo source.
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