Hundreds of Thousands Participate in Women's March Against Trump's Policies

Hundreds of thousands from across the United States gathered in downtown Washington, D.C. on Saturday, February 21, to march against the new President Trump's policies regarding women's rights. According to the Associated Press, over 200,000 people are expected to participate in the Women's March in Washington, which would rival the number of attendees at Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony held the day before. CNN reported the possibility of 250,000 attendees, while Kevin Donahue, the Deputy Mayor of Washington, indicated that estimates suggest as many as half a million could participate. CNN also reported that over 600 other marches against Trump's policies towards women are scheduled in various cities across the U.S., including Boston, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The report adds that several marches will also take place in cities around the world, such as London, Paris, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Prague, in solidarity with American marchers and to express opposition to the values represented by Donald Trump. Many participants in the Washington march expressed their concerns about the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, by Donald Trump, stating that it could negatively affect women's maternity healthcare coverage. Participants in the Women's March also deemed some of Trump's past remarks about women as 'demeaning' and referenced the allegations of 'sexual misconduct' against him, which Trump denies. Teresa Shook, a grandmother from Hawaii who conceived the idea for the Women's March in Washington, told reporters that the purpose of the march is 'to create an opportunity for women and men who consider themselves feminists to express their despair and anxiety over Trump's victory.' According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, marchers on Saturday, in addition to advocating for equal rights for women, are also calling for the defense of marginalized groups such as ethnic and religious minorities, the physically disabled, and LGBTQ individuals. Hillary Clinton, Trump's electoral rival, tweeted on Saturday: 'Thank you for standing up for our values, speaking out, and marching in the Women's March. It is always important. I truly believe that we are stronger when we stand together.' In London, thousands, mostly women, protested outside the U.S. Embassy, voicing their objections to what they describe as Trump's 'usurpation' of women's rights. In Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, hundreds gathered in the city's central square, particularly protesting Trump's policy of alignment with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. According to Reuters, Trump's team did not respond to the news agency's request for comment on these marches. The protests in Prague were held in solidarity with the Women's March in Washington. Donald Trump, who narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton, the first female nominee from a major U.S. party for the presidency, was sworn in as the new president on Friday. His inauguration ceremony was also accompanied by protests, with some demonstrators setting fires and vandalizing shops, leading to over 200 arrests by police. In his inaugural speech, Trump pledged to work for the benefit of American families, stating that 'every decision on trade, taxes, immigration, and foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families.' A recent poll conducted by ABC News and The Washington Post shows that Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating of any president starting their term since the 1970s. In this context, Trump signed his first executive order opposing Obamacare.