The third annual Philadelphia Women’s March on Jan. 19 turned out thousands, standing together for the future of women’s rights and equality.
In a time of political turmoil and upheaval, participants had personal reasons for showing up. Philadelphia Weekly spoke with everyday participants and politicians at the event about the reasons behind their march.
Nora Keller, 10, North Wales, PA
I’m marching for gun safety. I think it’s important to stand up for that because it’s hurting people in the world.
U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean of Montgomery County
The solidarity, women lifting other women and making sure our voices are heard. The issues i care deeply about are gun violence, opioid addiction, poverty, hunger and women’s rights issues.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney
I’m fighting to stay warm. I’m out here to encourage all of us to stick together in this time when our democracy is actually in the balance.
Mike Ishey, 55, Center City (Dressed as Melania Trump)
I’m gay. I’m HIV positive. So I got two strikes against me with this administration. Every day I wake up I don’t have the same rights that some people have in this country. So I need to fight for a voice.
U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Delaware County
The rule of law. This is a country of laws and they should be abided by. That goes to civil rights and human rights and everything else. It is also ethics and good government. It’s a very lawyer answer, I’m sorry, but that’s what got me into it, just being so angry that someone would try to evade the law.
Katie Axinn, 19 – Temple student
I’m fighting for more people to represented in the feminist movement. My sign is about intersectional feminism so more identities are represented in this movement and just that there is more awareness to all the issues that are going on that are affecting a lot of communities specifically Philadelphia.
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Chester County
I’m standing here for all of the issues that I saw when I first marched in Washington, whether it’s reproductive health issues, education, disability, LGBTQ issues, the planet, science, all of those issues are why I’m here.
Joe Hoban, 56 – Wayne, PA
Well I’m an anti-Trumper. I’m here to support my wife and my daughter as well who are are good solid feminists. I think we have a president who is incapable of telling the truth, and that affects everybody: women and men.
State Rep. Morgan Cephas of Philadelphia County
I am just extremely thankful that the [Philly Women’s March] decided to keep going with this, because there’s so many things that are under attack like healthcare, women’s reproductive rights, equity. I mean just getting paid is under attack.
Sue Bush, 61 – Newtown, PA
I would like to see impeachment. But, short of that, I want justice served.
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