Musicians Take to the Streets for the 2018 Women’s March

On Saturday, January 20th, the anniversary of one year of Donald Trump’s presidency, the second annual Women’s March was held in cities across the nation. Marches took place in D.C, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago. This year, the March’s theme was of particular importance to the global #MeToo and #TimesUp movement, which particularly escalated in Hollywood last year with the fall of disgraced film producer, Harvey Weinstein.

In LA and NY, several notable musicians took to the streets to protest and to use their voices for women around the world who aren’t able to use their own. Notable attendees this year included Yoko Ono, 

PEACE IS POWER
love, yoko#WOMANPOWER #IMAGINEPEACE #PEOPLEFORPEACE
at NYC #WomensMarch @WomensMarch#WomensMarchNYC @WomensMarchNYC pic.twitter.com/EhIMUIpkKJ

— Yoko Ono (@yokoono) January 20, 2018

Adele, who posted a photo of herself marching with actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Cameron Diaz, with a captivating caption explaining her reasons for marching.

View this post on Instagram

The most influential people in my life have always been women. My family, my friends, my teachers, my colleagues, and my idols. I am obsessed with all the women in my life. I adore them and need them more and more every day. I am so grateful to be a woman, I wouldn't change it for the world. I hope I'm not only defined by my gender though. I hope I'm defined by my input to the world, my ability to love and to have empathy. To raise my son to be a a good man alongside the good man who loves me for everything I am and am not. I want what's best for people, I think we all do. We just can't agree on what that is. Power to the peaceful, power to the people x #womensmarch2018

A post shared by Adele (@adele) on Jan 20, 2018 at 1:26pm PST

and Halsey, who gave a powerful five-minute speech in which she recited a poem she had written about herself entitled, “A Story Like Mine.” Halsey posted a video of herself reciting the poem for her fans to see on her Twitter page:

here is my entire “A Story Like Mine” poem from today’s #WomensMarch2018 in NYC tw: rape / assault. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/l3fji73woM

— h (@halsey) January 20, 2018

Halsey holds nothing back as she details her own experience with rape, assault, and performing onstage on the same night that she had a miscarriage. She also chronicles her friend’s experience with rape and her experience waiting at Planned Parenthood with her to find out whether or not her friend would need an abortion.

The poem is beautifully written, with many of the lines rhyming with one another, and spoken with great command and confidence. The emphasis that Halsey brings to the topics of sexual assault, rape, abortion, and miscarriage have the Internet buzzing. We commend Halsey for bravely recounting these distressing events and using her voice to help others who have suffered through the very same traumatic experiences. Halsey also thanked everyone for the support of her poem on her Twitter page:

I’m truly humbled and overwhelmed by the support I’ve gotten in the past day. Im comforted and saddened by all who can relate. We are in this together.

— h (@halsey) January 22, 2018

Other notable celebrities in attendance included Viola Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Amy Schumer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alyssa Milano, Constance Wu, Eva Longoria, Ilana Glazer, and Whoopi Goldberg, several of whom gave speeches of their own.

As 2018 continues, the solidarity that the Women’s March brings to all of us, particularly women, is something that our society should constantly strive to have. Cohesion is power.

Featured Image: Women’sMarch.org

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