Humanists Join Women’s March on Washington
Caption: Members of the Hartford Area Humanists participated in the People’s Climate Change March in 2014 Humanists support reproductive freedom, women’s rights, scientific integrity, and human rights for all. We can demonstrate our support for these values by actively participating in both local and national marches and parades. For example, many of the American Humanist Association’s chapters participate in their local, annual PRIDE parades, Martin Luther King, Jr. parades, and local environmental marches, often carrying banners and signs identifying their humanist group.
The upcoming Women’s March on Washington is a national march that humanists throughout the country will be attending. Taking place on Saturday, January 21, 2017, the march aims to “send a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world, that women’s rights are human rights.” In fact, the American Humanist Association is a proud sponsor of the historic march because the AHA stands for women’s equality and condemns all forms of gender-based violence, restrictions on women’s reproductive choices, and any attempts to reduce women to second-class citizens.
If you are planning to come to the Women’s March in DC and would like to march with the AHA, meet your fellow humanists January 21 between 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. outside the Smithsonian Metro Station, National Mall exit. We will be holding a large blue “Humanists for Women’s Equality” banner and will walk together in solidarity when the march begins at 10:00am.
Humanist groups throughout the country that are unable to attend the Women’s March on Washington in the nation’s capital are showing support by participating in “Sister Marches” on January 21 in other major cities in the United States and worldwide. (For some serious inspiration, check out the Sister March list.)
Members of the Omaha Metro Area Humanist Association (O.M.A.H.A.) will be participating in the Women’s March on Omaha, carrying their group’s banner as well as posters and signs that support the march’s message. Their stated goal is to:
stand in solidarity with women for the protection of women’s rights, their safety and their health. And because we know that every family, every city, and indeed our entire nation is stronger and more vibrant when everyone is afforded equal rights, equal protection, and equal access to health care.
The Humanists of Linn County will be carpooling together from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines, Iowa, to participate in the Iowa Women’s March on January 21. Members of the group will be marching with their banner as well as carrying signs. “It is important that we, as humanists, stand in support of and defense against the erosion of hard-won rights,” says Rocky Gissler, president of the Humanists of Linn County. “We also want to make it clear to all of our representatives that we will continue to fight for the rights of all vulnerable people and communities.”
The Bay Area Humanists, Humanists of Greater Portland, and Sunday Assembly LA, all chapters of the American Humanist Association, are attending Sister Marches in their respective areas and echo the reasons of O.M.A.H.A. and Humanists of Linn County for marching.
Are you and your local humanist group planning to attend a Sister March in your town? If so, please let us know and comment below! Are you and your local humanist group planning to attend the Women’s March on Washington? If so, consider marching with AHA and RSVP here!