(2) News
The Network (January 2017)
Women’s March on Washington: Omaha edition
carmenmiller
“T
his is what democracy looks
so many different backgrounds
like!”
and was so different, yet all rallied
Chants like this echoed through- behind the same cause.”
out the streets of downtown OmaEach person at the March atha on Jan. 21, as part of a Sister
tended for a different reason and
March to the Women’s March on
each person brought new meaning
Washington. The purpose of the
to the March. “I marched in solMarch was to “send a bold message idarity for all of the groups that
to the world that women’s rights
have been dehumanized over the
are human rights,” according to
years, to show support for them
the Women’s March on Washingand stand with them,” sophomore
ton’s official website. An estimated Gorretty Ofafa said.
673 marches occurred globally,
Noble was there for a similar,
with one occurring on every contiyet slightly different reason. “I was
nent (even Antarctica) and nearly 5 there to support the rights of wommillion people participating.
en. We have come so far in the past
In Omaha, somewhere between
decades, and I do not want us to
12,000 and 14,000 people particbacktrack,” Noble said.
ipated in the March (according to
While the March was not enthe Omaha World Herald). To put
tirely aimed at the new executive
that in perspective, that is approxi- administration, some people were
mately the same size as 20 Marian still there for political reasons.
High Schools.
“The reason I marched was beSeveral Marian girls participated cause women’s rights and overall
in the March,
rights of minorities are
despite the
We [women] still a huge issue. Also, I’ve
fact that it
had politics on my mind a
have come so
occurred on
lot since the election, and
the same night
I really wanted to get out
far in the past
as Marian’s
and stand with a comWinter Fordecades, and I
munity of people who are
mal. “We went
to march for their
do not want us to willing
to the March
human rights,” freshman
in our Winter
Nina Abbott said.
backtrack.”
Formal dressBeing a student at an
Sally Noble ’19
es, hair and
all-girls’ school affectmakeup,” seed some girls’ decision
nior Nikki Rhoades said. “The only to support the March.“We’re an
thing we were missing was our
all-girls’ school! It’s important for
heels, which we left in the car and
us, as women, to stand up for our
put on on our way to the dance.”
rights in a government that unSophomore Sally Noble went the der-represents us,” junior Courtextra mile and attended the Wom- ney Kilroy said.
en’s March in Washington D.C.
However, there was some back“I’ve never been in a place with
lash as a result of the March, as
so much passion and energy,”
some did not agree with what the
Noble said. “Everyone came from
March stood for.
“
marching for, what rights
they were fighting for;
they never had a specific
response,” sophomore
Kayla Bales said. “So,
if you don’t even know
what you are marching
for, why are you marching? What rights do
women not have that
they felt the need to
march all over the country?”
However, Women’s
Studies teacher Susie
Sisson offered up an
explanation for that.
“Even though women’s
rights have advanced,
women are still subject
to hearing demeaning
comments. There are still
Girl power times 14,000 Lily Veylupek ’18 holds double standards,” Sisson said. “Women have
up her sign at the Omaha Women’s March. “My
to put up with things that
favorite part of the March was seeing all different
types of people that united for a common belief: that men do not, and bearing
with that inequality is
everyone is created equal,” Veylupek said. Photo
something that we have
courtesy of Madeline Robertson ’18.
to pay attention to.”
Despite criticism,
“I love that in America you can
the March was overall a
change something if you don’t
peaceful protest. “It was amazing
like it, and it is phenomenal that
how peaceful it was, there was no
women have the right to do that,”
fighting and everyone was exsophomore Corah Johnson said.
tremely respectful,” Noble said.
“However, I have a problem with
“Even when anti-protesters were
with the way the March was done.
yelling at the [the protesters],
I feel as though it was not inclueveryone ignored them and did not
sive of all genders and races, and
sink to their level.”
of women who do not necessarily
“Of course it was peaceful and
agree with the majority. A women’s polite; we’re women,” Sisson said.
march should be for everyone.”
Additional marches have occured
Some also questioned why the
across the country in recent weeks,
March even happened, because
including The March for Life and
they did not understand what
marches in support of refugees. For
women were protesting against.
information on these, visit
“When anybody would ask a girl
mariandigitalnetwork.com.
who marched what they were
Class A - Newswriting
Carmen Miller
Omaha Marian