At least 20,000 people attended the Phoenix Women’s March on Jan. 21, among them the ASU Young Democrats.
This is the second Women’s March. The first took place on Jan. 21, 2017 – the first full day of Donald Trump’s presidency. Across the world, 3 million people took to the streets to fight for women’s rights following the election of a president who has made controversial statements about women.
This year, the message of the Women’s March was “Power to the Polls," aiming to emphasize the importance of voter registration and women running for public office.
The ASU Young Democrats attended the march together. Jesse Avalos, a political science junior and president of the club, called the march necessary.
“We can keep building on the foundations of equality,” Avalos said. “This march is reflective of exactly the change that’s soon to come.”
Ryan Cloughley, a political science senior and member of the ASU Young Democrats, said focusing on voting can create change.
“There’s been a record amount of women showing up to the polls, if not running (for office),” Cloughley said. “I’m here to make sure the future is female, and I’m saying that as a male.”
Political science professor Dave Wells believes more women will be running for office in the near future.
“I anticipate that we’ll see an upsurge in the number of elected women in the House and in the Senate,” Wells said. “I think it will have a lasting effect.”
As of mid-January, a historic almost 400 women are running for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to reporting from The Cut.
Judah Waxelbaum, a political science freshman and director of membership for ASU College Republicans, said it is great anytime people peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights but questioned the message the march was intended to send.
“They don’t really seem to have a unified message,” Waxelbaum said.
Although many of the signs at the Women’s March were directed towards President Trump’s derogatory comments regarding women, Waxelbaum believes Trump has been “great towards women.”
“Some of his biggest roles in his cabinet are women, whether it be his press secretary or his ambassador for the U.N.,” Waxelbaum said.
Ethan Buhrow, a political science freshman and member of the Young Democrats, takes the opposite view. He called Trump an "admitted misogynist" and an "admitted sexual assaulter."
"I'm here because I'm not gonna put up with it," Burrow said. "I want 2018 to be the year of Democrats and the year of women."
Reach the reporter at ajmistry@asu.edu or follow @jay_mistry52 on Twitter.
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